Yu-Gi-Oh! Millennium Season 5: Heirs of Yugoha
by Yuni Oha
Summary: 5,000 years after the original series, a new hero arises. Yuni Oha, along with a familiar face, must save the future of dueling, and learn about its past. The final season! First Yuni and Ma'at must face a threat who seeks to destroy both Chaos and Order as we know it. Then it's a journey across time and space as Yuni and Seto race to save the galaxy from a threat as old as Yugoha.
1. Episode 108: Odyssey of Order

**Warning: This is season 5 of the Yu-Gi-Oh! Millennium series. Make sure to read Yu-Gi-Oh! Millennium Season 1: Chaos Rising, Yu-Gi-Oh! Millennium Season 2: Descent of Darkness, Yu-Gi-Oh! Millennium Season 3: Guardian of the Balance, Yu-Gi-Oh! Millennium Season 4: Invasion of Light first. Also, make sure to check out the Yu-Gi-Oh! Millennium Move: Into the Darkness.**

**Note on continuity: This series is based completely off of the English anime, and as thus, it will most likely contain discontinuities when compared to any other version of Yu-Gi-Oh, such as the manga or Japanese anime.**

**Make sure to check out the Official Yu-Gi-Oh! Millennium Website for up-to-date episode updates and news, episode reviews, and other exclusive content. A link is available on my profile page.**

* * *

Yu-Gi-Oh! Millennium

Season 5: Heirs of Yugoha

Episode 108: Odyssey of Order

**Ruins of Order, Antarctica**

The courtyard of the ruins is seen. Despite its location near the South Pole, it appears to be located in a lush tropical rainforest, and the ruins are not actually ruins, but rather a completely intact temple complex. At a wall to the far edge is Yuni and Ma'at. Yuni is observing some hieroglyphics, while Ma'at is using a device of some kind on some alien script. Ma'at says, "According to this translator I took off of Valex, this text refers to how this temple was created."

Yuni nods. "It's not what we're looking for exactly, but it's a step in the right direction."

Ma'at nods. "There must be something here somewhere."

The two go through a couple of moments of awkward silence. Yuni finally asks, "Ma'at, why did you ask me to come here with you? Surely there are Guardians more suited to this sort of mission than me."

Ma'at slowly nods. "To tell the truth, it's because I'm afraid of what this excavation might unveil." Ma'at looks up to the unnaturally sunny sky. "Do you know who Themis is?"

"Yeah, I think I've heard that name. Wasn't he the Lord of Order before you?"

Ma'at nods. "Yes, he was my mentor, guide, and, most importantly, surrogate father." Ma'at walks a couple of steps away and looks around. "I practically worshipped him. What I realize now, in hindsight, is that he was practically blinded by tradition." Ma'at sighs and shakes his head. "If he knew that I considered the Lord of Chaos a friend and ally, I would be kicked out of the Guardians in no time, even as the Lord of Order, he carried so much influence. There are those amongst the Guardians who still believe that he should never have selected me as his successor, and that my progressive policy is ruining all that the Guardians stand for."

Yuni chuckles, "In a way, aren't they?"

Ma'at sighs. "I like to think that that's not the case. I may be your friend, but I still can't accept that embracing Darkness is the way to find enlightenment. I still believe in the purity of soul that embracing Order brings." He sighs again. "At least that's what I tell myself. But that's why I'm here. There are promises of countless secrets of Order here. I'm hoping to find something here to reinforce my faith." He laughs. "Maybe something that will sway you to my side as well."

Yuni chuckles too. "Not likely."

"Of course. Anyways, there are those in Guardians of Order, those who wish to return to Themis' traditional values, who think that nothing good can come from investigating these ruins. They think they know the entire history of Order, and anything they don't know is sacrilegious. To them, these ruins present a great threat."

Yuni shakes his head in confusion. "That's awful. This is a unique opportunity to learn more about their culture."

Ma'at nods in agreement. "I know. That's why I had to ask you here. I'm not sure who I can trust to help me investigate these ruins, but I know I can trust you."

Yuni nods. "I'm glad you trust me enough to think that. Don't worry about it, we'll get to the bottom of this mystery."

* * *

Yuni and Ma'at have worked their way into the interior of the ruins. They are carefully investigating the script on the walls of a large chamber. Ma'at says, "What I learned from my last trip here was that Order was brought to this galaxy millions of years ago by group that split from the Chaos users known as the Precursors. Do you know of them?"

Yuni nods. "Yes, I know of them well."

"I learned that the Bringers of Order were originally Precursors, but split off from them when they realized that Chaos was easily corrupted. They created their own doctrines of Chaos, which soon became the doctrines of Order."

Yuni nods. "So you're telling me that Order sprang from Chaos?"

Ma'at sighs. "Yes, it would seem that Order was originally Chaos."

"Maybe that's something you should look into further." Yuni considers what he said for moment. "After all, Order and Chaos really aren't that different."

Ma'at seems to cringe at the thought, but he nods in agreement nonetheless. Looking for a change in subject, he holds the translator up to a new section of wall. He says, "Hmm… interesting. According to this, not even the Bringers of Order knew how the Goddess of Order first came about. There's some speculation, but no concrete stories, let alone legends."

Yuni asks, "What kind of speculation?"

Ma'at is just about to answer, when there's a sudden flash of blinding light. Ma'at shields his eyes and asks, "What's happening!?"

Yuni, also covering his eyes, shouts back, "I don't know!" Some sort of shockwave passes them, pushing against their clothes and hair like a strong wind. Both brace themselves against the shockwave.

Even though it didn't seem possible, the light suddenly gets brighter. The pushing force of the shockwave suddenly reverses, and becomes a sucking force. Yuni and Ma'at are pulled forward, into the wall. Both shout in surprise.

* * *

**Unknown Location**

Yuni and Ma'at are passed out on the floor. Yuni slowly wakes up. He looks around. They are no longer in the Ruins of Order. Instead, they seem to be in a bizarre and alien land. The ground itself around them is a bleach white, and appears to glow. The sky is a bright blue, brighter than a normal midday, and streams of white and gold energy flow across it. Yuni turns to Ma'at and shakes him. "Hey, wake up."

Ma'at slowly comes to. As he's regaining consciousness he asks, "Ugh, what happened?" He becomes fully aware and looks at his surroundings. He instantly becomes shocked.

Yuni looks around more and answers, "I'm not completely sure. We seem to have been pulled into some sort of portal or vortex. I have no idea where we are. Any ideas?"

Ma'at slowly nods. "Yeah, we're in the Realm of Order…"

Yuni looks at him surprise. "The Realm of Order!? Order's version of the Realm of Chaos, that Realm of Order!?"

Ma'at nods. "I've heard plenty of stories, I've even had visions, but I never dreamed that I would actually come here."

Yuni goes back to observing the surroundings. "It's actually very similar to the Realm of Chaos, once you get past the blinding misbalance of light. How do you think we got here?"

"I'd have to assume that we were brought here by something we accidently activated in the ruins."

Suddenly, from behind them, a voice says, "That, or we brought you here."

Yuni and Ma'at turn around. Sitting on a rocky outcropping is a man. He is large and muscular. He wears gold and white clothes, and has blond hair. He is overall an intimidating figure. Ma'at appears confused. He states, "You are dressed as a member of the Guardians of Order, and yet I do not recognize you. State your identification."

The man chuckles. "My name is Utu."

Ma'at shakes his head. "I do not know that name. Who are you?"

Utu jumps down from his perch. "I am Utu, and as you observed, I am a Guardian of Order."

"Then why don't I know you?"

"You didn't let me finish. I am a Guardian of Order, and a member of the Hand of Order."

Ma'at steps back in shock. "A…Hand of Order…?"

Utu nods. "So you've heard of me."

Yuni, obviously out of the loop, asks, "What does that mean? What's a Hand of Order?"

Ma'at answers, "They're more of a myth or legend than an actual group, at least that's what I thought. It is like a ghost story told to scare new recruits. They're supposed to be some sort of super-secret, black-ops organization that answers directly to the Lord of Order. Supposedly they carry out the Guardians' most clandestine missions. When I inherited the title of Lord of Order, and heard nothing of them, I rationalized that they must just be a myth."

Utu laughs. "That's because you're no Lord of Order! The Hand of Order would never follow you! Look at you, right now as we speak, you explain the Guardians to the Lord of Chaos, leader of the Guardian's sworn enemy, the Society of Chaos!"

Ma'at shouts, "The Society of Chaos is no longer our enemy! We have made peace!"

"There can be no peace between Order and Chaos! By even believing that is possible you taint the purity of Order!"

Yuni steps forward. "Enough debating philosophy! Why have you brought us here?"

"I brought you here because it is time for a change. There is a moment of reckoning coming, and you two are not a part of it. The time has come for a true Guardian of Order to take charge, and for the Lord of Chaos to fall."

Ma'at asks, "And who's that 'true' Guardian supposed to be? You?"

"No, not me; one who should have been all along. Now, which one of you should I destroy first?"

Yuni steps forward and raises his Duel Gauntlet. "I accept your challenge."

Ma'at warns, "Yuni, are you sure you want to do this? If he claims to be a member of the Guardians of Order, then I should be the one to face him. And if half the stories are true about the Hand of Order, this is not a guy to mess with."

Yuni nods. "I can handle this." He looks Utu in eye. "I've handled far worse." Yuni then declares, "Duel on!" Yuni activates his Duel Gauntlet.

Utu steps forward and summons a Duel Gauntlet using the power of Order. The Duel Computer states, "Duel now underway. Yuni Oha vs. Utu. Scanning decks…decks accepted. Commence Dueling."

Utu states, "Go ahead and take the first move. It doesn't matter to me."

Yuni draws. "Gladly." He looks to his card. "I summon Cyber-Tech Gale Commander (Wind/Level 4/Warrior/Effect/ATK 1600/DEF 1300)!" Yuni's monster is a cyborg warrior with the ability to control wind. Its lower body is covered by a tornado, and wind blows around it. "By simply setting two cards, I'll end my turn (Yuni's hand: 3)."

Utu draws. "Amongst my comrades, I have earned the title of Enforcer of Order. I stop at nothing to enforce Order, and this duel will show no exceptions. I summon Radiant Soldier in defense mode (Light/Level 4/Warrior/Effect/ATK 1000/DEF 1900)." A warrior holding a large shield made of pure light appears. Its armor is silver and gold, and is reminiscent of the armor worn by Ma'at's Order monsters. "Then I'll activate my Spell Card, Shining Radiance. This card summons two more copies of the Radiant Soldier from my deck." Two more soldiers join the first. "Now that I control at least two Radiant Soldiers, I can activate their effects, each of which sends the top two cards of your deck to the graveyard, for a total of six!" Each soldier creates a blinding flare of light, and six cards from Yuni's virtual deck on his Duel Gauntlet fly into the Graveyard Zone of the Duel Screen. Yuni looks surprised, and Utu grins. "That is all I require of my turn (Utu's hand: 4)."

Yuni states, "I don't know what angle you're playing, but sending a couple of cards to my grave isn't going to scare me. I draw! I activate the effect of Gale Commander. It blows a monster on the field back to the deck. Say goodbye to Radiant Soldier number one!" Yuni's monster summons up a tornado that catches Utu's monster and blows it away. "After doing that, Gale Commander increases his own strength by 400 points until the end of the turn (ATK: 2000)! Now that it's strong enough, let's get rid of Radiant Soldier number two!" Gale Commander attacks with gale force winds, destroying Utu's second monster. "Now that you only have one Radiant Soldier, you can no longer activate its effect! That's a satisfying enough turn for me (Yuni's hand: 4)." At the end of his turn, Yuni's monster returns to its base attack strength (ATK: 1600).

Utu draws, and then grins at what he drew. I activate the Continuous Spell Card Blinding Radiance. Then I tribute my remaining Radiant Soldier in order to summon Radiant Commander in Defense Mode (Light/Level 6/Warrior/Effect/ATK 1900/DEF 2600)." This monster is another soldier, armored and armed similarly to the last. This one is bulkier, appearing to be able to take a hit with ease. "I now activate the effect of Blinding Radiance. At the cost of not being able to attack this turn, as long as I control a Radiant monster, I can send the top three cards of your deck to the grave." Three more cards fly into Yuni's Graveyard. "That in turn activates the effect of Radiant Commander. Whenever cards are sent straight from your deck to your graveyard, it doubles that amount!" Three more card are gotten rid of.

Yuni looks curiously at Utu. He asks suspiciously, "What kind of game are you playing?"

Utu laughs. "There's more than one way of winning a duel. I specialize in winning without launching a single attack."

Yuni realizes what he's inferring. "You're trying to make me run out of cards in my deck!"

"Exactly. And half your deck is now gone. It won't be long now until you draw your final card." He grins for a moment, "Both literally and figuratively."

Yuni looks to his deck, which already shows signs of depletion (Yuni's deck: 21). He looks back up at Utu with frustration.

Yugi warns, _Yuni, you've got to be careful. This duel isn't going to be like one you've ever dueled before._

Yuni nods. _I realize that now._ He looks back to Utu. "You don't scare me. As long as I still have a card in my deck, I will not give up."

"Nor do I expect you to, the struggle of my opponents is what makes my job so fun. Go ahead, see what you can do (Utu's hand: 3)."

Yuni looks to his half-empty deck and draws (Yuni's deck: 20). "Your no attack strategy may have the advantage of allowing your monsters to stay in Defense Mode, but that doesn't mean that you're immune to damage. I tribute Cyber-Tech Gale Commander in order to summon Cyber-Tech Inferno (Fire/Level 5/Pyro/Effect/ATK 2200/DEF 200). When this burning hot monster is summoned, it scorches 200 of your life points per card in my hand. I have four cards there." A blast of fire is shot from the monster to Utu (Utu's LP: 3200). "Now all I have to do to win is disrupt your strategy. I activate my facedown card, the Mystical Space Typhoon! Say goodbye to your Blinding Radiance!" In a gust of wind, Utu's card is blown away and destroyed.

"If you think destroying one spell will halt my strategy, you're severely mistaken."

"Not alone maybe, but it can slow you down, and that's all I need right now (Yuni's hand: 4)."

Utu draws. "You know, looking at my opponent's thin deck always makes me appreciate having a nice full deck myself. I summon Radiant Guard (Light/Level 3/Warrior/Effect/ATK 0/DEF 2000) in Defense Mode." This monster, once again, wears armor like the others. It too has a shield made of light, this one larger than the others.

Yuni comments sarcastically, "And let me guess, its effect involves sending more of my cards to the grave."

"You've got that right, since I control two Radiant monsters, it sends four cards from your deck to the grave." Yuni's deck is decreased in size further (Yuni's deck: 16). "And of course my Radiant Commander then joins in and sends an additional four (Yuni's deck: 12)."

As more cards are sent an apparition of the Cyber-Tech Magician flashes for a second as the last card is sent. Yuni grunts. _He just got rid of the Cyber-Tech Magician._

Utu taunts, "It looks like I just got rid of a card that was important to you. How nice for me (Utu's hand: 3)."

Yuni looks to Utu and thinks, _If I only have so little cards left in my deck, I'd better make them count. _Yuni holds his arm towards the sky and declares, "Go, Chaos Draw!" Yuni makes a dramatic drawing motion, but no glowing or energy appears (Yuni's deck: 11). He looks to the card he drew with surprise. _What just happened!?_

Ma'at shouts, "Yuni, remember where you are! The Realm of Order is interfering with your Chaos powers!"

Yuni grunts. Yugi encourages, _You've just got to duel with the cards you've been given, that's never stopped you before._

_Yeah. I just hope that I've got enough left._

Utu laughs. "You don't even have control over your own powers! How can you plan to win!?"

Yuni replies, "I plan to win regardless! I activate Cyber-Tech Rebuild! This card allows me to tribute one of my Cyber-Tech monster in order to summon another from my deck with three more levels!"

Utu taunts, "Is it wise to be using up cards from your deck? They're a particularly endangered species right now."

"This move is more than worth it! I tribute Cyber-Tech Inferno in order to summon Cyber-Tech Illumi-Dragon (Light/Level 8/Dragon/Effect/ATK 2800/DEF 0) (Yuni's deck: 10)!" Yuni's first monster disappears, leaving behind its cybernetic parts. These parts then recombine into a new form, and Yuni's dragon of light appears within them. "Cyber-Tech Illumi-Dragon, destroy the Radiant Guard! Light Force Blast Attack!" The dragon attacks with a beam of light that destroys the defending monster. A shockwave is then generated which destroys the Radiant Commander as well. Yuni explains, "When the Illumi-Dragon destroys a Defense Position monster, it also destroys all monsters who have a higher defense value than the attacked one. That should significantly stall your effort to destroy my deck (Yuni's hand: 3)."

Utu draws. "That was your last turn. I hope you realize before the end of mine how much you wasted it! By returning the Radiant Guard and Radiant Commander from my graveyard to the deck, I summon Radiant General of Order (Light/Level 8/Warrior/Effect/ATK 2700/DEF 2700)!" This monster's armor is reminiscent of the others', but it looks much closer to the traditional armor or Order monsters. As well as a shield of light, this monster also carries a sword, and as such, was actually summoned in Attack Mode.

Yuni states, "It seems a little late to start going for the offensive."

"I told you that I planned to defeat you without declaring a single attack. That still stands true. I activate Brilliant Radiance. This card makes it so that both of us have to discard our entire hand." They both do so. Utu laughs. "I really didn't need to do that, since you won't have a chance to activate any of those cards anyways, but it's so much more satisfying to win when every single card in my opponent's deck is in the grave. Now as for my Radiant General of Order. It first destroys one monster on the field, such as your Illumi-Dragon." With a slash from its sword, Yuni's dragon is gone. "Then its second effect all depends on how many cards there are in your Graveyard. Since you have at least 25 cards, my monster can send the top 10 cards of your deck to your graveyard!"

Yuni gasps, "But that would be the last of my cards!"

"Too bad for you!" Utu's monster creates a blinding flash of light that sends every single card in Yuni's deck to the grave (Yuni's deck: 0).

Ma'at shouts, "Yuni!"

Utu is laughing absolutely hysterically. "Now all I have to do is end my turn and you lose! To think, the Lord of Chaos' own draw is going to be what destroys him!" He continues to laugh, paying no attention to Yuni (Utu's hand: 0).

Yuni smiles smugly and draws a card. He proclaims, "You might want to look again."

Utu's eyes go wide in shock. "Bu…but how!? I got rid of every single card in your deck!"

"Yes, you did, but you failed to address the single card on my field. I've been saving it for the worse. You see, while you were busy cracking up, I activated Cyber Circuit before you ended your turn. That Trap Card returned a Cyber monster of my choice from my Graveyard to the top of my deck."

"And that means you still had a card to draw when your turn came…"

"Exactly. Now if you'd excuse me, it's time for me to win this duel. From my grave I activate the effect of Cyber-Tech Sage. By banishing it along with its Ritual Spell Card, Cyber Sage Transcendence, I can summon the Cyber-Tech Magician from my hand (Dark/Level 7/Spellcaster/Effect/ATK 2500/DEF 2100)!" A magical vortex appears and Yuni's magician emerges. "Then I banish the Dark Attribute Cyber-Tech Skull Archfiend and Light Attribute Cyber-Technokinetic!" Cyber-Tech Magician becomes cloaked in light and dark energy. Yuni chants, "O, Will of Chaos, hear my plead, grant me the power that I need! White as day, black as night, Cyber-Tech Magician, unleash your might! I Chaos Evolve the Cyber-Tech Magician into Discordon, the Cyber-Tech Magician of Chaos (Light/Level 9/Spellcaster/Evolution/ATK 3300/DEF 2900)!" Cyber-Tech Magician emerges from the energy in its evolved Chaos form.

Utu is even more shocked. He demands, "What!? You can't use your Chaos powers here!"

Yuni simply comments, "I will always have the support of the Will of Chaos, as long as my goals to protect the Balance! Now I activate Discordon's effect! By banishing the Cyber-Tech Spellbook of Necromancy from my grave, I can activate its effect, which increases the strength of a Cyber-Tech Magician monster by 100 for every card in my graveyard. That's an additional 3400 Attack Points (ATK: 6700)!"

Utu stammers, "Tha…that's enough to defeat me…"

Yuni nods confidently. "And you know the best part? You made it all possible!"

Horror crosses Utu's face as he realizes what Yuni means. "I sent the cards that you used to summon and evolve your magician to the grave…I allowed you to use the Spellbook of Necromancy and loaded the grave for its effect…"

Yuni nods. "I may not have won if it wasn't for you. I really should thank you. How about you do that for me Discordon? Attack the Radiant General of Order with Yin-Yang Stream!" Discordon unleashes its attack of Light and Darkness, which destroys Utu's monster (Utu's LP: 0).

Utu falls to his knees. He says with fear, "I'm sorry my lord, I never meant to fail you." He suddenly cries out in pain, and then disappears.

Ma'at walks over to Yuni and says, "That was a great display of dueling Yuni."

Yuni nods. "Thanks."

Ma'at looks to the spot where Utu stood just moments before. "I've never heard of a member of the Guardians of Order attacking their lord before."

"One thing's for sure, there's a whole lot more going on here than we can understand."


	2. Episode 109: Clash of Order

Episode 109: Clash of Order

**The Realm of Order**

Yuni and Ma'at are still stranded in the Realm of Order, soon after Yuni's victory over Utu. Yuni asks, "Alright Ma'at, you're the expert on Order here. How do you propose we get out of here?"

"I have yet to obtain the level of mastery over Order that would allow me to open portals to and from the normal world, so we're forced to find someone else who can send us back. That leaves us with the option of the Goddess of Order, or the Will of Order." Ma'at surveys their surroundings. "I think we shouldn't be too far from the Will of Order's temple. That's my vote."

Yuni nods and says sarcastically, "Something tells me that the Will of Order will be absolutely thrilled to see me."

"We'll have to cross that bridge when we get there." He beckons forward. "Come on, let's go."

* * *

The two have been walking for what seems to be a while. There seems to be some sort of unspoken tension between them. Yuni finally takes a deep breath and states, "Ma'at, this is the first time we've truly had a chance to talk without any other distractions."

Ma'at nods, knowing what's coming, and replies, "Indeed it is."

"We've worked together to defeat the Society of Light and New Yugoha."

Ma'at nods again. "Yes…we have."

Yuni continues, "I feel like we can't ignore this any longer. I am the Lord of Chaos, you are the Lord of Order. We shouldn't be able to get along."

Ma'at shakes his head. "No we shouldn't."

Yuni takes another deep breath and finally asks, "Why do you hate Chaos so much? I know that even now, as we walk together as friends, you still loathe everything I stand for. You started our truce because it was mutually beneficial, and you didn't want to start another war, but still, you only tolerate us as a necessity. Why?"

Ma'at now takes a deep breath. "I suppose that we've avoided this talk for much too long." He sighs. "As I'm sure Apophis told you, I was a member of the Society Chaos all the way up to three years ago. I was raised by them and groomed to be a Lord of Chaos."

Yuni nods. "That's what I don't get though. If you were a member for that long, how could you suddenly reject their teachings and show such hatred towards them?"

"I guess you could attribute it to wanting what you don't have and resenting what you do. As a child, I wanted nothing more than to know who my parents were, but I was allowed almost no contact with the outside world." Ma'at sighs heavily. "I guess if I had to attribute my hatred towards one origin point, it was that."

Yuni objects, "But your parents were members of the Society as well."

Ma'at suddenly tenses in anger. He shouts at Yuni, "The Society of Chaos took my parents! They died on a mission for the Society! If it wasn't for that, I would have grown up as a normal child!" Ma'at starts to cry. He sobs, "A normal child with a choice over what his life would be."

Yuni steps closer to Ma'at and puts a hand on his back. "I know how you feel…"

Ma'at slaps Yuni's hand away and shouts, "Don't you dare touch me you filthy follower of Chaos! You know nothing about what I've been through! The Society of Chaos destroyed my parents and doomed me to a life of suffering! Themis offered me freedom! For the first time in my life I was allowed to make my own decisions! My destiny wasn't written by my superiors, instead I could do what I wanted! Themis taught me the truth about you Chaos scum, and how you infect the world with Darkness!"

Yuni appears hurt. He says below his breath with his head hanging, "You're wrong…"

Ma'at shouts, "No, you're wrong! Nothing good can of Darkness!"

Yuni shakes his head. "No, that's not what I meant. I meant that you were wrong about me not understanding you. When I was a young boy, my parents were taken away from me too. They too were doing a task for the Society of Chaos. Since then, my destiny has been set. Whether it was freeing Apep from his Darkness, defeating Oblivion or Konton, or fighting New Yugoha," Yuni begins to raise his voice, "everything I have done has been a path set before me!" He now shouts, "So yes, I do understand what it means to lose one's parents! I do understand what it means to have others expect something of you! I haven't had it any easier than you, so don't go pretending like that justifies everything you've done! I've stuck to Chaos, and I have proven why the Balance must be kept! You have no excuses!"

Ma'at looks stunned at Yuni. "I…I hadn't realized…"

Yuni shouts, "So why don't you quit making excuses and tell me the real reason you're a Guardian of Order!?"

Yugi shouts at Yuni, _Calm down! You both need to calm down! Shouting will get you nowhere._

Yuni is about to shout something else, but heeds Yugi's words and takes a deep breath. Yuni looks back to Ma'at and says, "I'm sorry about that. It was uncalled for."

Ma'at shakes his head. "No, it was I who insulted you. That was uncalled for." He looks towards the sky. "To be honest, I've never really contemplated why I follow the Grand Order instead of the Balance of Chaos. It's just always seemed like the right choice." He looks back down and sighs.

Yuni suggests, "Sometimes we blindly follow what we believe to be right without ever even considering if it really is."

Ma'at shakes his head. "You're right. I'm not saying I'll forget all about Order, or jump ship and rejoin the Society of Chaos, but I definitely need to look inwards and do some reevaluating. I need to figure out what really is important to me."

A voice suddenly declares, "If you are really thinking that, then you really shouldn't be the Lord of Order!"

Yuni and Ma'at look towards the source of the voice. Standing behind them is a woman with long white hair. She wears clothes similar to the ones worn by Utu. Ma'at demands, "Who are you?"

She smiles, "My name is Amaterasu. I am the Controller of Order of the Hand of Order."

Yuni and Ma'at are surprised. Yuni asks, "There's more than one of you!?"

She nods. "The Hand of Order is a group. We are greater in numbers than just one member, one who apparently couldn't defeat even a piece of pathetic Chaos scum like you." She looks back to Ma'at. "And as I said, if you doubt your commitment to the Guardians of Order, then you really do have no purpose being the Lord of Order."

Ma'at steps forward and summons his Duel Gauntlet of Order. "I'll prove my commitment."

Amaterasu smiles and summons a Duel Gauntlet of her own. "I was hoping you would say that." She steps towards Ma'at.

Yuni advises, "Be careful Ma'at."

Ma'at, still appearing tense and upset from before, at first seems annoyed by Yuni's suggestion, but then shakes his head and sighs. He says, "Thanks…I will."

Ma'at and Amaterasu face each other and activate their Duel Gauntlets. "Duel now underway. Scanning decks…decks accepted. Ma'at vs. Amaterasu. Commence dueling."

Amaterasu draws as she declares, "I'll be taking the first move! I activate the Spell Card, Terraforming! This card allows me to add one Field Spell from my deck to my hand, such as my Gilded Hall, which I will immediately activate!" The surroundings are replaced by the card. It is a gigantic chamber gilded with gold and silver. "Then I summon the Shining Angel (Light/Level 4/Fairy/Effect/ATK 1400/DEF 800) in Defense Mode, set two cards, and end my turn (Amaterasu's hand: 2)."

Ma'at nods. "Fine then, I'll just draw my card."

Just as he does, Amaterasu interrupts, "When you draw a card during the Draw Phase, the effect of Gilded Hall activates! Now you must discard the card you just drew, and then draw another."

Ma'at does as he's instructed. "That's fine, I like this card better anyways. In fact, I think that I'll summon it now! Come forth, Crusader of Order (Light/Level 4/Warrior/Effect/ATK 2200/DEF 0)! Crusader of Order, attack and destroy the Shining Angel!" The Crusader moves in for an attack and destroys the defending angel.

"When the Shining Angel is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard, its effect kicks in, allowing me to summon a Light Attribute monster from my deck with 1500 or less Attack Points. I summon Embargo Spirit (Light/Level 4/Fairy/Effect/ATK 1500/DEF 2000)." The monster is a body of silver light. Its arms are large and flat, forming a shield-like shape.

"It doesn't matter to me, I'll just destroy it next turn. At the end of my turn, the Crusader of Order sends the top two cards of my deck to the grave (Ma'at's hand: 5)."

Amaterasu states, "You'll soon realize how wrong that statement really is." Amaterasu draws. "The effect of Gilded Hall affects me as well, so I'll just ditch this card," she does so, "and draw a new one. The card I drew just happens to be the Pot of Greed, which I'll activate." Amaterasu draws two more cards. "Then I'll activate Magical Mallet, and shuffle my entire hand into my deck, in order to draw three new cards."

Ma'at taunts, "What, are you not drawing the cards you need? How sad."

"I assure you, when your deck is as refined as mine is, there's no way to draw a card I don't need," Amaterasu gains a new hand, and smiles at the results, "as you will learn now. I activate one of my Trap Cards, Incursion Invasion. This card summons one Incursion Token (Light/Level 1/Fiend/Token/ATK 0/DEF 0) to either side of the field once per turn. Enjoy your new monster!" A portal opens in front of Ma'at and a small but devilish creature composed of light appears on Ma'at's field in Defense Position.

"Why would you give me a monster!?"

"Because I can destroy it, which is the entire point of my plan. Embargo Spirit, attack the Incursion Token!" The monster slams its large arms down on Ma'at's adopted monster and destroys it. Amaterasu smiles with content. "Before ending my turn, I'll set two final cards (Amaterasu's hand: 1)."

Ma'at draws. Without having to be told, he discards his draw. He then reaches for his deck to draw another card, when suddenly a barrier of light wraps around his deck, preventing him from drawing. Ma'at looks up with surprise. "What just happened!?"

"The effect of Embargo Spirit kicked in. You see, if it destroys a monster by battle then you aren't allowed to draw any cards except for your normal draw until the end of the following turn."

Ma'at nods. "Alright, I get your game." He thinks, _I'd better conserve the cards in my hand then, just in case. _He then says aloud, "I guess that means that your Embargo Spirit has overstayed its welcome. Crusader of Order, attack the Embargo Spirit!"

"I activate the trap Safe Zone!" A barrier of light surrounds the monster, and blocks Ma'at's attack. "As long as I control Safe Zone, the Embargo Spirit cannot be destroyed by battle, as well as card effects."

This annoys Ma'at. "You'll at least see some damage coming your way."

"Incorrect again, because I also activate another Continuous Trap Card, Spirit Barrier! Now as long as I control at least one monster, I take no Battle Damage!"

Ma'at grunts. "There's still one more thing I can do. I activate Mystical Space Typhoon in order to destroy Safe Zone! I already know that when Safe Zone is destroyed, so is the monster it protects!"

Amaterasu grins devilishly. "That's where my last facedown card comes in handy. I activate Imperial Custom! This card prevents my Continuous Trap Cards from being destroyed!" Ma'at's eyes widen in surprise. "That's right, I was ready for every move you made! I've spent years refining this deck! It has been engineered to completely shut down my opponent and ensure victory 100 percent of the time!"

Yuni gasps, "That's impossible! No deck is unbeatable!"

Amaterasu turns to Yuni. "And yet you are seeing it happen before your very eyes. This deck was designed to counter any situation."

Ma'at is getting aggravated. "Fine then, it looks like I'll have to end my turn (Ma'at's hand: 4)." The effect of Crusader of Order sends the top two cards of Ma'at's deck to the graveyard.

"You have entered the lockdown." Amaterasu draws, discards, then draws again. "The card I just discarded was the Shimmering Beacon, which when discarded allows me to add one Spell Card from my deck to my hand. I think I'll add the card known as Field Barrier and then play it. This card prevents the destruction or replacement of my Field Spell. I would say that your chances of winning are even less now, but they can't get any lower than zero!" Ma'at can do nothing but grunt again. "Then, in my Left Pendulum Zone, I'll place Spiritual Oscillator (Left Pendulum Scale: 4)." In a column of light to Amaterasu's left appears an angelic being with massive wings. "Now let's activate Incursion Invasion, and give you another Incursion Token." Another token appears in front of Ma'at. "Now I'll have Embargo Spirit attack and destroy that Token!" The monster destroys the Token soon after it appears. Ma'at grunts again. "That's not even the end of it! Now that a monster was destroyed, the effect of Spiritual Oscillator inflicts 1000 points of damage to the player who had a monster destroyed!" The Pendulum Monster flaps its wings and creates a vibration in the light around it, a similar vibration occurs around Ma'at (Ma'at's LP: 3000). Ma'at grunts yet again. "To further increase the desperation of your situation, I activate Card Destruction! This card makes us both discard our hands, and then draw cards equal to the amount we discarded." She has no remaining hand to discard.

Ma'at objects, "But I can't draw cards!"

"Exactly the point." Against his will, Ma'at discards all of the cards in his hand. "Now you don't have a single card to fight back with. That puts my turn to an end, not that it matters. As restricted as you are, you might as well not even be taking a turn. (Amaterasu's hand: 0)"

Ma'at reluctantly draws, and then discards a card. He desperately looks to his empty hand for an answer, but nothing comes to him. He looks desperately to Yuni, who shrugs. Ma'at wordlessly passes his turn, and sends a card to the grave for Crusader of Order's effect (Ma'at's hand: 0).

Amaterasu draws, discards, and draws the replacement again. "The card I just discarded was Hypnosis Wizard. If it's in the Graveyard, I can banish the Hypnosis Wizard in order to add a Pendulum Monster from my deck to the hand. I'll do so and add Guardian of Magic to my hand, and then place it in my Right Pendulum Zone (Right Pendulum Scale: 6)." A second column of light appears, this one covering a man wearing blue robes, projecting a barrier of energy around himself.

Ma'at asks sarcastically, "Should I even ask what this one does?"

"Only if you want to hear about how I have further sealed your demise, for the Pendulum Effect of the Guardian of Magic prevents any other Spell cards from being destroyed, which of course also includes my Spiritual Oscillator. My field is now a network of cards all protecting each other and interplaying in a way that allows me completely shut you down." Without even having to explain herself, an Incursion Token appears on Ma'at's field, and is then automatically destroyed by Embargo Spirit's attack. Ma'at then takes damage from Spiritual Oscillator (Ma'at's LP: 2000). "That leaves you with only two turns left, not that it matters (Amaterasu's hand: 1)."

Ma'at obligatorily draws and then discards, gives his hand and Graveyard a quick scan over. It's no help. Two more cards are sent to the grave (Ma'at's hand: 0). He appears to have lost hope.

Amaterasu chuckles with pleasure. "It is so amusing to watch the so called Lord of Order squirm and struggle. Even the Deck of Order cannot stand against my superior strategy." She goes through the motions of drawing. "Now, Incursion Token, reappear to my opponent's field, and Embargo Spirit, destroy it again!" The Token reappears only to be instantly destroyed. "And now to take out another 1000 of your life points (Ma'at's LP: 1000)! On my next turn, your life points will drop to zero. It can't be helped, your situation is absolutely hopeless. You should just give up now (Amaterasu's hand: 2).

Ma'at looks to his deck despairingly, as if actually considering what Amaterasu suggests. Yuni notices this and shouts, "Don't you dare even consider it Ma'at! You're the Lord of Order! It be an insult to us both if you gave up! All hope is never lost!"

Ma'at looks to Yuni, realizes something, and then looks back to Amaterasu. "He's right, I am the Lord of Order! I don't care who you think you are, or what you think about me, I am still the Lord of Order, and you are a Guardian of Order! You can't hope to defeat me!" He holds his arm to the sky, which begins to glow. "Go, Draw of Order!" His deck glows as well, and Ma'at draws.

Amaterasu is shocked. "Why would you waste your power on a Draw of Order? It does you no good when you have to discard it right away!"

Ma'at grins. "The power of Order can take many forms, and help from many places beyond just my hand." He discards the card. "In my grave now is the Artifact of Order: Harmonious Repose, which can be returned to my deck along with one Order monster in order to add another Order monster from my deck to my hand. I'll return it alongside the Archlord of Order I discarded earlier in order to add the ultimate monster of Order to my hand!"

Amaterasu's surprise continues. "You found a way around the Gilded Hall lockdown! It only stops you from drawing, but not adding to your hand by effects!"

"Exactly. Order gave me exactly the key I needed to get out of your lockdown. Now I return two monsters from my graveyard to the deck in order to summon Supreme Dragon of Order – Eunomia (Light/Level 10/Dragon/Effect/ATK ?/DEF ?)!" In a column of light, Eunomia descends onto the field. "With the four Order monsters I have remaining in the Graveyard,

Eunomia's power increases (ATK and DEF: 4000). Eunomia, attack the Embargo Spirit, Force of Order!" Eunomia attacks with a harsh beam of light from its mouth.

Amaterasu objects, "Safe Zone is still protecting my monster from battle!"

"That's why I activate Eunomia's effect! By returning a Light monster from my Graveyard to my deck, I can return your monster to your hand! There are no cards protecting you from that! Go Eunomia, Subjugation of Order (ATK and DEF: 3000)!" In a flash of light, Amaterasu's monster vanishes. "Now without your monster, your entire strategy falls apart! Continue your attack directly Eunomia!" Eunomia resumes attacking, this time aiming for Amaterasu directly (Amaterasu's LP: 1000). "And now Crusader of Order, finish this duel!" The Crusader of Order charges, attacking and finishing Amaterasu (Amaterasu's LP: 0). "It looks like the Lord of Order has defeated you. Maybe I am worthy after all."

Amaterasu falls to her knees. "No, this is not possible…I've put untold hours into refining my deck. It was a statistical impossibility for me to lose…I considered every option…every contingency…" She screams into the sky and then shouts, "I'm sorry my lord!" as she is taken away into oblivion.

Ma'at looks towards the point where she just stood. Yuni walks over to him. "Good job Ma'at. You showed her who the true Lord of Order is."

Ma'at doesn't respond, apparently there is still animosity between them.

Yuni sighs and extends a hand. "I really am sorry about everything I said before. We may follow two different walks of life, but that doesn't mean we can't work together. Still friends?"

Ma'at sighs and shakes Yuni's hand. "Still friends."


	3. Episode 110: Chaotic Order

Episode 110: Chaotic Order

**The Realm of Order**

Yuni and Ma'at continue their trek through the wasteland that is the Realm of Order. It seems to be a nearly endless expanse on all sides. Yuni asks, "Are you sure we're heading in the right direction?"

Ma'at seems slightly aggravated, whether it's from exhaustion, annoyance with Yuni, or a combination of both, it's impossible to tell. He responds sarcastically, "I'm sorry that I don't have a map. It's not like no mortal has set foot here in recorded history or anything."

Yuni backs off a step and responds, "You know that's not what I meant. I just want to make sure we get there."

Ma'at sighs. "Yeah, I'm sorry." He looks around. "To the best of my knowledge, this should be the correct direction."

Yuni asks, "How do you know that?"

"From what I've always read, the Temple of Order will appear before those who need it most."

Yuni nods suspiciously. "So in other words, we're moving at random, and hoping that the temple shows itself to us?"

Ma'at takes a deep breath and grunts through his teeth with annoyance, "Yes…essentially."

They continue to walk in an awkward silence for a while longer. After a little bit of walking, a feature can be seen on the horizon ahead. Yuni points to it and shouts excitedly, "Hey, look! There's something over there!"

Ma'at, forgetting his earlier annoyance, responds, "Maybe it's the temple!"

The two run towards the feature. It soon becomes apparent that whatever it is, it does not fit. Its black coloration is in stark contrast to the surrounding white landscape. Yuni says, "That doesn't look like a temple complex."

Ma'at nods in agreement. "It looks like it's some sort of monument."

After a while of running, it becomes clear that Ma'at was right, it is a monument of some kind, made of black stone. The two approach it. It is a large standing stone, colored black. Script and hieroglyphics are scrawled across it.

Ma'at observes it. "What do you think it is?"

Yuni looks at it with surprise. "I've seen monuments like this before…in the Realm of Chaos."

Ma'at instantly turns to Yuni with suspicion. "What do you mean?"

"The Precursors, the intergalactic society that first discovered Chaos, long before even Yugoha existed, this is one of their monuments."

Ma'at nods. "Yes, I am familiar with them." He looks at the monument with disbelief. "What would a Precursor artifact be doing in the Realm of Order?"

After a couple of moments, Yuni answers, "I have a theory, but you may not like it."

Ma'at looks to Yuni, and then back to the monument.

Yuni suggests, "Why don't you see if Valex's translator can decipher this text?"

Ma'at nods and pulls out the New Yugohan translation device. He holds it up to the stone. After a few moments to let the machine work, he reads, "Let this obelisk be a monument to this glorious day. On this day, the 41st of the 15th month in the 1,834,572nd year of Enlightenment, history has been made. The rebels known as the Bringers of Order have come to an agreement and rejoined the Precursors. They have realized that Order brings nothing but destruction and unbalance. The scourge that was Order is no more. The Goddess of Order, once sworn enemy of Chaos, has promised to return to her rightful place amongst the pantheon of Chaos Gods." Ma'at drops the device in shock.

Yuni picks it back up and finishes, "The Balance has been restored. The false doctrines of Order will never again plague our, or any other universe. In time, even the dimension in which this monument was placed will recombine with the Realm of Chaos, and all will be whole again…" Yuni rereads the translation to himself. "Interesting. Do you realize what this means Ma'at?" Ma'at is silent. "Ma'at?"

Ma'at is frozen in the position he was when he dropped the translator. In an attempt to control his emotions, he takes a deep breath and slowly looks up to Yuni. He says with much restraint, "What…does…it…mean…?"

"It means that the Precursors and the Bringers of Order, the original Society of Chaos and Guardians of Order recombined under Chaos millions of years ago! It means that all of our fighting is pointless! If those two managed to reconcile, so can we!"

Ma'at is nowhere as near excited as Yuni. He says under his breath, "You're wrong…"

Yuni looks confused at Ma'at. "What did you say?"

Ma'at shouts with anger, "You're wrong!"

"I'm not wrong, it says it right here. Isn't this the proof we've been looking for? Chaos and Order are the same thing! You can come back to the Society of Chaos, without having to sacrifice your morals! This is wonderful Ma'at!"

Ma'at clenches his fists angrily. "No Yuni, it's not! I follow the path of the Grand Order, not because some ancient society followed it, but because I see it as right!"

Yuni is confused. "But it says right here that it's not."

"I don't care what a several million year old monument says! This doesn't mean anything to me, besides, the inscriptions are obviously wrong, as the Realm of Order is still here, and the Goddess of Order still serves the Grand Order!"

"Ma'at, why can't you see the truth…?"

This statement causes Ma'at to snap. "You're such a hypocrite! You're always preaching about acceptance, and overcoming differences, but on the inside you're no better than any other Chaos scum! All you care about is you precious society! My opinion doesn't really matter to you! You've just pretended to be my friend, because it served your best interest!"

This attack on Yuni's character has gotten him upset. He yells back, "I can't believe you would say that about me after all we've been through!"

"All we've been through is the reason I don't destroy you right here on the spot! Normally we're evenly matched, but this is my domain! I rule here, and if it wasn't for our past, I would put an end to you once and for all!"

"If that's what you really think, then why don't you try!?"

"I'd love to!" Both Yuni and Ma'at take fighting stances, and summon up energy around their fists.

Yuni shouts, "Come on then, come at me!"

Ma'at screams with rage and fires a beam of light energy at Yuni. Yuni summons a yin-yang barrier that blocks the attack. Yuni then takes the barrier and hurls it as a weapon at Ma'at. Ma'at catches the projectile and snaps it in half, discarding the pieces. Ma'at and Yuni both gather energy around their fists, and lunge forward at the same time, meeting halfway in between them. The two fists collide, creating a massive shockwave, which forces both combatants back.

Yuni and Ma'at slowly get up. Both are heavily damaged and panting. They look at each other with hatred. After staring for several moments, Ma'at finally declares with loathing, "Get out of my sight. From here on out, we take our own path."

Yuni nods. "It would seem that we actually agree on something for once."

"I assure you, it will never happen again."

Both turn away from each other and march off in opposite directions.

* * *

Yuni continues to walk away, still angry. Yugi is saying, _Yuni, answer me! What happened back there?! Stop ignoring me, now!_

Yuni halts and thinks, _What does it matter?_

_ It matters because you just tried to fight a friend in mortal combat. That's not like you._

_ He's not my friend. He never was. You heard what he said about me._

_ You two come from different walks of life. You can't expect for him to agree with you on everything!_

_ The proof was right in front of him though! Had he just taken a moment to consider what that inscription meant, then he would have realized that he was wrong._

_ He was wrong…or you were right?_

_ What's that supposed to mean?_

_ I mean, is this really about what he thinks, or is it about you being stubborn?_

_ He was the one being stubborn. Not me._

_ It takes one to know one…_

Yuni is just about to respond when a voice suddenly declares, "What an amusing fight that was to watch." Yuni looks towards the direction of the voice and sees a man. He wears the uniform of a member of the Hand of Order. He is tall and muscular with golden blond hair that stands up on his head. He has an overall intimidating figure.

Yuni sighs. "I really don't have time for you right now."

The man laughs. "Well that's too bad. My name is Inti, I am the Champion of Order, and a member of the Hand of Order. I have come to destroy you."

Yuni replies sarcastically, "Of course you have. Such a surprise there."

"You may mock me now, but you won't when you face me in combat." He summons a Duel Gauntlet of Order.

Yuni sighs, but then turns towards Inti and grins. "You know what? I could use the chance to vent. Duel on." Yuni activates his own gauntlet.

"Duel now underway. Yuni Oha vs. Inti. Scanning decks…decks accepted. Commence dueling."

Both duelists declare, "Let's duel!"

* * *

Ma'at is wandering angrily and aimlessly. He kicks a stone and thinks to himself, _What was I thinking? I actually thought that I could trust him! He's not only a follower of Chaos, but the Lord of Chaos! It should have been a given that he was no different from the rest, but I fooled myself into thinking he was! _He groans with displeasure. _I should have just destroyed him while I had the chance. _Ma'at thinks back to the first time he dueled Yuni. He was just about to declare the winning attack with Eunomia, but he then cancelled the duel due to Themis' condition. _If I had just finished that attack, the world would be a better place now._

A voice in his head suddenly asks, _Is that really what you think my child?_

Ma'at is shocked. "My lady, is that you?" There is no response. Ma'at has caught up with the rock he kicked earlier. In a groan of anxiety, Ma'at releases his anger and kicks the stone as hard as he can.

* * *

Inti draws. "The first move will be mine. I summon Enigmachine α (Light/Level 4/Machine/Gemini/ATK 1900/DEF 1200)." The monster is a strange automaton, that appears to be an amalgamation of mysterious, and unknown robotic parts. It is in a humanoid form, but barely. It appears rusted, worn down, and ancient. An α (alpha) is displayed on its chest plate. "Then I'll simply set a card and conclude this turn (Inti's hand: 4)."

Yuni eyes his monster with curiosity. "It's rare to see a Gemini Monster."

Inti grins. "Well I guess you'll be unprepared for mine then."

Yuni draws. "I'm ready for anything that comes my way. Since you control a monster, and I control none, I can Special Summon the Cyber-Tech Accelerator (Wind/Level 5/Machine/Effect/ATK 2000/DEF 2000) from my hand. I'll also have Cyber-Tech Magnet Knight 0 (Earth/Level 4/Rock/Effect/ATK 1500/DEF 1800) join the party. Cyber-Tech Accelerator, attack Enigmachine α!" Yuni's monster dashes at Inti's and destroys it (Inti's LP: 3900). "Now Cyber-Tech Magnet Knight 0, attack Inti directly!" Yuni's magnet knight launches its direct attack (Inti's LP: 2400). "It seems like you're not as good as you thought (Yuni's hand: 4)."

Inti draws. "I assure that I am just as good as I thought. I activate Enigmachine Excavation. This card special summons an Enigmachine monster from my grave. I bring back Enigmachine α! As a bonus, the effect of Enigmachine Excavation allows my monster to become an Effect Monster and gain its effect." The monster that appears, while similar to before, seems like a whole new monster. All signs of rust and decay are now gone. It appears to be brand new, and glowing blue energy can be seen surging through all of its joints and seams. "Now that I can use it, the effect of Enigmachine α Special Summons an Enigmachine monster from my hand, such as Enigmachine Δ (Light/Level 4/Machine/Gemini/ATK 700/DEF 2000) in Defense Mode." This monster appears old and rusted like the previous one. This robot takes the form of a heavily armored quadruped of some kind. A faded Δ (delta) is printed on its forehead. "Now I'll just use my Normal Summon in order to re-summon Enigmachine Δ as an Effect Monster!" The monster powers up as energy begins to flow through it. Slowly the rust and decay seems to vanish all together. Green energy runs through it, similar to the blue of the last. Its shape then changes, as it folds itself into a triangular shape, and is then held by Enigmachine α as a shield. However, it still remains as its own monster.

Yuni asks, "And what's going on there?"

"The Enigmachines are collection of ancient artifacts made by a lost society. Their purpose was to combine together in order to form the perfect soldier. What you see here is only the first stage in that process."

Yuni nods. "Alright then. I'll just have to destroy them before you can finish then."

Inti laughs. "Easier said than done. I end my turn (Inti's hand: 3)."

Yuni draws, and smiles at the result. "I tribute my two monsters in order to summon the Cyber-Tech Magician (Dark/Level 7/Spellcaster/Effect/ATK 2500/DEF 2100)!"

Inti, unfazed by the appearance of Yuni's monster, states, "Yes, I watched you use that monster in order to defeat Utu."

"Then you should know how powerful of a monster it really is."

"That, and that it will do you no good here."

"We'll see about that. Cyber-Tech Magician, attack Enigmachine α, Cyber Magic Attack!" Yuni's magician aims its staff at the center of Inti's machine and unleashes a blast of dark magic.

Inti declares, "I activate the effect of Enigmachine Δ! Once per turn, I can prevent the destruction of an Enigmachine monster on my field." The automaton raises its shield and blocks Cyber-Tech Magician's attack.

Yuni grunts. "Fine then. I set a card and end my turn (Yuni's hand: 3)."

* * *

Ma'at seems to be wandering aimlessly, with no idea of where to go. There is still much anger in him. He also appears deep in thought. He thinks, _So I'm alone again. It seems like that's the one constant in my life._

He has a flashback. Ma'at can be seen, but as a child no older than seven or eight. He wears clothes that seem to indicate he is still loyal to the Society of Chaos. A tall woman walks into the room. She says kindly, "Hello Matt," addressing him by his birth name, "are you ready for today's lessens?"

The child responds reluctantly, "I guess. When do I get to meet other kids? I read that most kids go to school with other kids their age."

The woman laughs. "You know that there are no other children in the Society of Chaos Matt. Who would there be for you to go to school with?"

Ma'at sighs. "Yeah…I guess…"

The flashback ends. Ma'at thinks, _From the very beginning I was isolated. They thought it would make me the perfect member of the Society. That was, at least, until I quit._

Another flashback starts. Now Ma'at, almost as old as he is today, is in a large room. Across from him a figure sits on a throne. The room is Apep's throne room, and the figure is Apep, wearing his black and white robe with the hood obscuring most of his face. Apep says, "You disappoint me Matt. Why would you leave the Society?"

Ma'at declares, "I have been brought up being taught that Darkness is not to be embraced, and yet I see you doing just that."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean exactly what I say. Your single-minded pursuit of the power from the Prophecy of Chaos has corrupted you. You are embracing Darkness and I cannot follow a leader who is so easily corrupted. And it's not just you either. I've seen countless people I used to look up to follow you blindly and hence become corrupted themselves. I am through with the Society of Chaos, and all the corruption it entails."

"You are making a mistake Matt."

"The only mistake that I've ever made was trusting you." Ma'at turns around and marches out the door.

The flashback concludes. _The following years I was more alone than ever before, but I was also freer. I travelled the globe, alone, searching for a greater meaning. And then came the day that changed my life forever._

Yet another flashback begins. Ma'at is in an alleyway in an unknown city. He is surrounded by people wearing the black and white cloaks of the Society of Chaos. One says, "Matt, come back with us or face the consequences."

Ma'at shouts, "Never, I wasn't blind like you thugs! I left the Society for a reason! Leave me alone, or I will hurt you."

"Don't make me laugh. I outrank you, and thus have been trained to control my Chaos powers to a much greater degree."

Ma'at takes a fighting stance. The men leap at him. Ma'at creates a shockwave of light that forces them back. They quickly recover and create ropes out of dark energy that they use to wrap around Ma'at. Ma'at struggles, but he can't break free.

Just as all hope seems lost for him, a voice declares, "Release the boy!"

The men look up to see a silhouette on the other side of the alley. The leader says, "Get out of here, this doesn't concern you."

The figure responds, "It doesn't concern you either. I'll give you one last warning. Leave him alone."

The man laughs, and then two of his henchmen move towards the figure, prepared to stop him.

The figure declares, "Wrong move." He suddenly creates a massive burst of light. This light causes the ropes of darkness to disintegrate away, and throws back Society members.

After the light dissipates, the leader asks in horror, "Who are you?"

The figure steps into the light. "I am Themis, the Lord of Order." It is Themis, but much different from how we've seen him before, as he is not weak with sickness. The Society members run away. Themis approaches Ma'at, who has fallen to the ground, offers a hand, and asks, "Are you okay my boy?" Ma'at looks up at him and smiles.

The flashback ends. Ma'at thinks, _On that day I was introduced to the concept of Order, and was quickly indoctrinated into the Guardians of Order. For a short period in my life, I wasn't alone. Themis acted as the father I never had. But then he was taken away from me…taken away by the Darkness of Chaos!_

* * *

Inti draws. "It's time to awaken the next Enigmachine. I use the effect of Enigmachine α in order to summon Enigmachine π (Light/Level 4/Machine/Gemini/ATK 300/DEF 1400) in Defense Mode." This monster is a defunct robot in the form of a circle. In its center is the symbol of π (Pi). "Now let's Normal Summon it and activate its hidden potential." A yellow energy begins to glow throughout it and the machine restores itself. It then unfolds itself and wraps around Enigmachine α as armor. "The effect I just unlocked allows me to add an Enigmachine card from my deck to my hand after it's Normal Summoned. I add Enigmachine Restoration and activate it. This card summons an Enigmachine card from my hand and equips to it. I summon Enigmachine Ψ (Light/Level 4/Machine/Gemini/ATK 1700/DEF 0)." This monster is a tall and slender machine, looking more like a monument than a robot. It, of course, is rusted and displays a Ψ (Psi) at its top. "In addition, as long as it's equipped to an Enigmachine, Enigmachine Restoration restores my monster, thereby granting it its effect." The machine activates, displaying orange energy. It transforms into a sword, which is wielded by Enigmachine α. "The effect of Enigmachine Ψ increases the attack of all of my other Enigmachine monsters by 700 (α's ATK: 2600) (Δ's ATK: 1400) (π's ATK: 1000)."

Yuni looks at the collection of monsters. Yugi advises, _I sense something else going on here. Inti's doing more than just powering up his monster._

_ Yeah, I agree. The question is, what?_

_ Something about this seems familiar…_

Inti declares, "Now Enigmachine α, attack the Cyber-Tech Magician!" The automaton raises its sword and slashes down on Yuni's monster (Yuni's LP: 3900).

Yuni declares, "I activate Time Warp Vortex! This card summons back my Magician, and has it count as having been on the field for one extra turn than it was upon being destroyed!" A strange vortex opens up, and the Cyber-Tech Magician reappears.

"My, my, aren't we clingy? It doesn't matter, I assure you that next turn, once I get out my fifth monster, this duel will be over (Inti's hand: 2)."

Yuni draws. "It's time to step this duel up! Thanks to Time Warp Vortex, the Cyber-Tech Magician has been on the field for three turns now! Listen now to the chant I recite! Come forth and bring me victory in this fight! Cyber-Tech Magician evolve and show me your true might! I summon Temporax, the Cyber-Tech Magician of Time (Dark/Level 9/Spellcaster/Evolution/ATK 3500/DEF 3100)! I activate the effect of Temporax in order to negate the effect of Enigmachine Δ, meaning I can destroy your monsters!"

"Actually, you can't! The second effect of Enigmachine π prevents my Enigmachine monsters from being targeted by card effects."

Yuni grunts. "I activate Temporax's effect, and activate the Cyber-Tech Spellbook of the Void straight from my deck. This card can banish one of your monsters."

Inti now appears confused. "Why would you do that when you know you cannot target any of my monsters with its effect?"

The spellbook appears, and then disappears. Yuni shrugs. "I had to try something."

Inti now laughs. "Ha! Is that how desperate you have grown!? I guess that I've already won then!"

Yuni looks over his cards and sighs. "There's only one way to find out. I set a card and end my turn (Yuni's hand: 3)." With the end of his turn, Temporax devolves back into the Cyber-Tech Magician.

Inti chuckles with pleasure and draws his card. He declares, "Yuni, Lord of Chaos, you have been a worthy adversary, but this duel is over now. The card I have drawn will now seal your fate! I use the effect of Enigmachine α in order to bring Enigmachine Ω (Light/Level 5/Machine/Gemini/ATK 2000/DEF 0) (ATK:2700) from my hand to field!" The monster is another ancient mech. This one is draganoid and serpentine in shape. Its stomach is marked by an Ω (Omega). "The puzzle is complete!" Yuni grunts, as he doesn't know what this means. "Now it is time to reassemble the ultimate Enigmachine! I Normal Summon Enigmachine Ω!" The decrepit machine begins to shake violently. Its rust and tarnish slowly vanishes as it reactivates. Red energy surges through it. It then coils in on itself and transforms into a sphere that glows intensely with red energy. That sphere inserts itself into a slot on Enigmachine α's chest. The entire machine begins to rumble. The different multicolored energies of each different Enigmachine are replaced one by one by Enigmachine Ω's red energy. Inti declares, "Omega means the end! And sure enough, Enigmachine Ω will be the end of you! Its effect activates when I control five different Enigmachine monsters, all of which are counted as Effect Monsters! It creates a massive titan, with power so grand that I instantly win the duel! Enigmachine Ω, Annihilate!"

Yuni has gone from uncertain to smug. He grins.

Inti demands, "What's so amusing Chaos scum!?"

"You might want to take another look at your ultimate weapon."

Inti is confused. He looks to his Enigmachine. It is quickly noticed that the sword, which is actually Enigmachine Ψ is flashing between red energy and its own orange. After a moment of this, it then flickers out altogether. The sword is dropped, and it returns to its previous form, rust and all. Inti is wide-eyed with shock. "Wha…what just happened!?"

Yuni responds, "I had theory on what you might be trying to accomplish, so I before you had the chance to restore the effect of your final Enigmachine, I took away the effect of another. By banishing the Cyber-Tech Spellbook of the Void from my grave while I control a Cyber-Tech Magician monster, I was able to banish any of your cards, including the Equip Spell Enigmachine Restoration. With its spell, Enigmachine Ψ lost its effect, and thus you could no longer use the effect of your Enigmachine Ω." The entire Enigmachine rumbles even more, and then falls apart into its component parts. Without the effect of Enigmachine Ψ, all of the Enigmachines return to their normal attack value (α's ATK: 1900) (Δ's ATK: 700) (π's ATK: 300) (Ω's ATK: 2000). Yuni thinks, _Good call Yugi, your suggestion saved me there._

_ Once I realized that he was saving up to get five monsters to fit together like a puzzle, it wasn't that hard to realize he was going for some sort of Gemini version of Exodia. It wasn't that hard after that to figure out how to beat it. _Yuni grins

Inti is still dumbfounded. "How could this happen!? The Enigmachine is unstoppable!"

"Every card has its weakness, and I just exploited yours. Even the great Exodia can be defeated."

Inti tenses. "It doesn't matter! You still can't attack my monsters, or target them by card effects, and I'll be able to Normal Summon Enigmachine Ψ again next turn! That means I'll still win (Inti's hand: 2)!"

Yuni draws, seemingly undaunted by Inti's threat. "Except that this turn is different. I activate my facedown card, Re-evolution! This card re-Evolves my Cyber-Tech Magician into an appropriate Evolution Monster in my Devolution Zone! Return, Temporax, the Cyber-  
Tech Magician of Time!"

Inti asks, "What difference does it make? We're in the same situation that we were in last time, nothing has changed!"

"Actually, one thing has changed. You now have five monsters on your field. That means that I can use Temporax's effect in order to activate the Cyber-Tech Spellbook of Comebacks from my deck! This powerful magic spell can only be used when you control five monsters, and the only monster I control is a single Cyber-Tech Magician monster. It allows my monster to attack you directly!" Inti's face gives a horrified look. "Temporax, the Cyber-Tech Magician of Time, attack Inti directly, Temporal Burst!" Yuni's magician unleashes a pulse of temporal energy that is aimed directly at Inti (Inti's LP: 0).

Inti is knocked back by the force of the attack. He says to himself, "I have failed…"

Yuni approaches him and uses his Chaos powers to levitate Inti. He looks inti fiercely in the eyes and demands, "Now, you are going to tell me, who are you working for!?"

Inti looks back at Yuni defiantly. "Wouldn't you like to know? I am not the one to tell you, but don't worry, you'll learn soon enough." Inti laughs, and as he does, he disappears.

Yuni sighs, and looks off into the distance. He wonders, _How am I ever going to get out of here?_

Yugi suddenly exclaims, _Yuni, look! To your left!_

Yuni looks in the indicated direction. Off in the distance, a temple complex can be seen. "It must be the Will of Order's temple!" Yuni runs off towards it.

* * *

Ma'at continues to wander. He thinks, _At this rate, I'll never find the Will of Order's temple._

A voice says, _Do not give up hope my child, venture forth, for I need your help._

Ma'at is alarmed. "Is that you Goddess of Order?" There is no reply. Ma'at shakes his head, as if trying to regain sense. When he looks back up, the Will of Order's temple has appeared in the distance ahead of him. Ma'at gasps and then runs without hesitation towards it.


	4. Episode 111: New World Order Part 1

Episode 111: New World Order Part 1

**The Realm of Order**

In a split screen, both Yuni and Ma'at can be seen running towards the Will of Order's temple. They both say at the same time, "Once I get to that temple, I'll be able to figure out a way to get home." They both keep on moving. The two scenes merge into one as they approach the temple. They're both so focused on the temple before them that they crash into each other. Both leap up and shout at each other, "What are you doing here!?"

They stare loathingly for several more moments until Ma'at says, "This place is sacred! How dare you defile it with your presence!?"

Yuni responds angrily, "I'm here because I need to get back to the real world!"

"You might as well just stay here, because if we both get back, I'm getting rid of you right away!"

Ma'at is about to shout something else, but suddenly freezes in place, as if time itself stops. This confuses Yuni. He waves a hand in front of Ma'at's face, but there's no response. Before he can vocalize his questions, the scenery around him twists and turns around itself. It then morphs into a different scene. Yuni now finds himself floating in a void of black and white. In front of him, there is a massive yin-yang. He thinks in surprise, _Where am I!?_

Yugi reminds him, _This is the same void as the dreams you used to have when the Will of Chaos spoke to you._

Yuni nods, remembering what Yugi is referring to. As if on cue, the majestic voice of Apophis, the Will of Chaos speaks, "Ragnarok, the time for a great battle is upon you!" Apophis materializes before Yuni.

Yuni asks, "What do you mean? Am I supposed to fight Ma'at?"

A different voice, this one more thunderous and commanding, now speaks, "No, the one once known as Matt is not your enemy!" After that, the Supreme Chaos Deity appears beside Apophis.

Yuni instantly bows his head in respect. "Supreme Chaos Deity, what do you mean?"

He responds, "Matt is an ally in your fight."

Yuni looks up. "But, he is a Guardian of Order, how could you call him my ally?"

Apophis answers, "Matt was never truly your enemy. He may not realize it, but he and you are on the same side."

Yuni appears confused for a moment. "Wait a second, a couple of months ago, back when I dueled Ma'at in the World of Duel finals, you were telling me to destroy Ma'at. What's going on here?"

Apophis almost sighs. "Yes, my vision was clouded."

The Supreme Chaos Deity explains, "There is an evil force at work here, one that I regret to inform you has blinded even me. This force of pure Light has clouded the judgment of Apophis, my Envoys, and myself. We had been led to believe that the Guardians of Order posed a threat to the very Balance of Chaos. While the Guardians, and any who follow Order, are a threat, they pale in comparison to the one that lies before you."

Yuni asks, "What is this evil?"

Apophis states morbidly, "It is one of the greatest foes in the history of Chaos. It is the antithesis to Chaos itself. Its power is so great that it has blinded us only until now…now that it's about to act on its plan to destroy the Balance of Chaos completely."

"What can I do to stop it?"

The Supreme Chaos Deity declares, "It must be defeated once and for all, but you are not powerful enough to do it alone. Apophis and I cannot physically exist for any period of time in the Realm of Order, so you must seek help elsewhere. In this case, that help is the one once known as Matt. If you can defeat this threat, not only will the Balance be safe once again, but Chaos will be more complete than it has been in eons."

Yuni nods. "I understand. As the Lord of Chaos, and your servant in this dimension, I will protect Chaos."

* * *

Ma'at is in a similar scenario to Yuni. He floats in a void of white and gold. Before him is the Goddess of Order. Ma'at asks, "Great Goddess of the Grand Order, why have you brought me here?"

The Goddess responds, "The future of Order rests in the balance of the fight ahead of you."

"Do you mean I have to fight Yuni? I'm ready for that, I've already allowed him to exist far longer than I should have."

"No my child, the time has come for you to set aside your differences with the Lord of Chaos once more. There is a greater threat than Chaos ahead of you, and the only way to stop it is by teaming up with him."

Ma'at says with disbelief, "What? I can't team up with that Chaos scum! How could you ever suggest such a thing!?"

The Goddess reminds him, "I am the ruler of Order my child, I know what is best for it. The enemy you are up against seeks to subvert and control the Grand Order. In fact, if I am correct, it has already had a grip over me for eons. For almost as long as Order has been known of in your Universe this entity has had a grip on me that I am only now realizing existed. It has twisted and warped my memories. Memories of the time before this entity interfered are only just now beginning to return to me. Because of that, I cannot be certain of much now, but what I do know is that the Lord of Chaos shares this goal of destroying the entity. Alone you have no hope of victory, even with my help, but with him, you could win."

Ma'at slowly and reluctantly nods. "I understand, Goddess."

"Take caution my child, this enemy is greater than any you have faced before." Ma'at nods once more and his surroundings fade away.

Now Yuni and Ma'at stand facing each other, both in an angry position as if their argument had never been interrupted. An awkward look suddenly crosses both of their faces as they cancel the actions they were about to carry out. An equally awkward silence ensues.

Yuni finally breaks the silence by saying, "Look, I know this is going to sound weird, but I need your help."

Ma'at looks curiously at Yuni. "I was about to say the same to you. There is a threat to the Grand Order, and I need your help to stop it."

Yuni nods. "There is also a threat, I would assume the same one, to the Balance of Chaos. It would appear mutually beneficial for us to work together again."

Ma'at sighs. "As much as I don't like to admit or to help anything relating to Chaos, let alone Chaos itself, it would appear we have no other option. Don't think this means I've forgiven you, or that we're friends again."

A voice suddenly declares, "So the traitor of Order and the Lord of scum are joining together." The voice is somewhat deep and masculine. It has an echo effect, almost as if another voice were talking over it. The voice seems somewhat familiar.

Yuni and Ma'at both look up the stairs of the temple. Standing at the top is a body of pure light. It is in the shape of a human, but is far from it. Yuni demands, "Who are you?"

The entity laughs. "My name is irrelevant."

Yugi states, _This has to be the evil force the Supreme Chaos Deity spoke of._

The entity continues, "All that matters is that once I destroy both of you, the world will be a better place. It's a shame that my minions failed."

Yuni asks, "You're the one who sent the Hand of Order against us?"

Ma'at demands, "Why did Guardians of Order listen to you!?"

The entity laughs again. He then declares, "Foolish boy, I am Order!"

"No you're not! The Goddess of Order has sent me to destroy you!"

"The Goddess of Order is foolish for an immortal! I am, and always have been Order! The Goddess is merely an extension of my will!"

"You will pay for insulting the Goddess of Order!"

"If you wish to make me pay, please, come inside." The entity backs into the temple. Yuni and Ma'at look at each other, nod, and run up the stairs.

Once inside, they find themselves in a large chamber. They are not technically inside, as the room is little more than a roof held up by several pillars Yuni demands, "State your intentions!"

The entity chuckles. "My intentions? Why, I intend to do no less then completely destroy Chaos. Purge it from this world and every other." He looks to Ma'at. "Isn't that what you would want?"

Ma'at replies, "Maybe it's what I want, but it's unobtainable. The only way to completely destroy Chaos itself is to either give into Darkness, which in turn would fuel further Chaos, or completely purge Darkness, which would be equally against the Doctrines of Order. Order is about rejecting Darkness, but not destroying it."

"That's what your predecessors believed. That's why the Bringers of Order are gone. That's why the Guardians of Order as you know it are about to fall."

Ma'at replies defiantly, "Never."

The entity shakes his head. "I'm disappointed in you Ma'at. You showed so much potential."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means what I said. I've been keeping track of you. I thought you would turn out so much better than this." He then stops, and creates a field of energy around one of his wrists. This energy turns into a Duel Gauntlet made of pure light. "The time for talking is through. I will now destroy you both."

Ma'at summons his Duel Gauntlet of Order and readies it. Yuni is just about to activate his own gauntlet, when the voice of Apophis says in his head, _We may not be able to help you directly, but you can borrow upon our power._

Yuni asks, _What do you mean?_

_ Chaos is with you, and you fight to protect it! Chaos will fight with you! In the past year, you have proven yourself worthy to wield power most mortals couldn't dream of!_

Yuni grins and then raises his arm to the sky. An orb-shaped yin-yang envelops his Duel Gauntlet. After it disappears, his gauntlet has transformed into an ornately designed, Chaos-inspired Duel Gauntlet. It is mostly dark-purple and gold, split evenly between the two. It also contains trimmings of black and white with a yin-yang emblem on top of the deck box. It glows with an unknown power. He declares, "Duel on!"

The Duel Computer states, "Duel now underway. Yuni Oha and Ma'at versus," a hiss of static obscures what should be the name. "Scanning decks…decks accepted. Commence dueling."

Yuni draws from his special Duel Gauntlet. "I summon the Chaos Darkness Monger (Dark/Level 4/Fiend/Effect/ATK 1700/DEF 1300)." The monster is a dark and distorted figure. It carries what seems to be a pack of wares on its back. "When I Normal Summon the Darkness Monger, it special summons its partner, the Chaos Light Bringer (Light/Level 4/Fairy/Effect/ATK 1300/DEF 1700) from the deck!" In a flash of light, another monster appears. This one seems to be an angelic light version of the first monster.

The entity observes, "So you have been lent the power of the Grand Deck of Chaos? It does not matter, my power is still greater than yours."

"You should be very afraid. The Grand Deck of Chaos is the most powerful deck ever created. Its power alone has determined the fate of cosmic empires, defeated the greatest of evils, and maintained the Balance." Yuni thinks with sorrow, _It's also the deck that defeated Apep, but I can't focus on that now._

The entity responds, "It is also mere child's play compared to the power I wield."

"We'll see about that." Yuni sets a card (Yuni's hand: 4)."

The entity states, "Since I'm up against the both of you, I'll take every other turn, and start with double the life points (Entity's LP: 8000)." He raises his arm to the sky and declares, "Now, Draw of Order!" His hand and deck glow gold, and he draws.

Ma'at demands, "How dare you subvert the power of Order!?"

"I've already told you, I am Order! I summon Genesis of the New World Order (Light/Level 4/Spellcaster/Effect/ATK 1000/DEF 1900) in defense mode." A female mage wearing long white robes with golden trim appears on the field. "Now I'll set a card and end my turn (Entity's hand: 4)."

Ma'at draws. "I summon the Enforcer Order (Light/Level 4/Warrior/Effect/ATK 1500/DEF 1100). When I summon this card, it automatically destroys all Dark Attribute monsters on the field!"

Yuni looks at Ma'at with shock. He objects, "But that destroys only my monsters!"

Ma'at looks to Yuni. "This is a matter of Order. You are here only to aid me in battle. Nothing else. If destroying your monsters furthers my cause, then so be it. I will do it. Besides, I refuse to battle with a Dark monster on my side of the field. It's an atrocity."

Yuni counters angrily, "This is just as much a matter of Chaos as it is of Order! We're partners in this duel! You can't go destroying my monsters!"

"I can, and I will! Do it Enforcer of Order!" Ma'at's monster raises its broadsword and a shockwave of light emanates from it. The shockwave shatters Chaos Darkness Monger. The shockwave then reverses in on itself and the Enforcer of Order absorbs its essence. "My monster now gains 500 Attack Points for each monster destroyed (ATK: 2000)."

The entity chuckles to himself as he watches them. He thinks, _Yes, squabble all you'd like. It only makes things that much more easy for me._

Yuni shouts at Ma'at, "You just destroyed my monster for a 500 point gain!? We're in this together! Remember!? We need to work as a team!"

"My days helping you are over, remember? You duel the way you want to duel, I'll duel the way I want to duel." With that, he returns his attention to the duel. "Since I'm the last person to take a turn, that means I can attack. Go Enforcer of Order, destroy Genesis of the New World Order!" Ma'at's monster leaps at the entity's and slashes it in half. Proud of himself, Ma'at declares, "I end my turn (Ma'at's hand: 5)."

The entity raises his arm and it glows. He performs another Draw of Order. He declares, "I summon Herald of the New World Order (Light/Level 4/Fairy/Effect/ATK 1800/DEF 1400)." The herald is an angel-like being with giant gold wings of light. It wears a close fitting tunic, similar in design to the previous New World Order monster's robes. "When I summon the Herald of the New World Order, I can Special Summon another New World Order monster from my graveyard. Return, Genesis of the New World Order. And now, for the real strength of this deck! I Evolve the Herald of the New World Order! I summon Master Mason of the New World Order (Light/Level 7/Warrior/Evolution/ATK 2000/DEF 1600)!" After glowing for a moment, the Herald of the New World Order has completely transformed. It is man wearing the white and gold trim robes. He holds an architect's square in one hand, and compass in the other. "Whenever I Evolve a monster, the effect of Genesis of the New World Order activates, allowing me to draw a card." He performs another Draw of Order. "Now I'll activate the effect of Master Mason. By discarding two cards, I can double its attack (ATK: 4000)! Then I'll equip Master Mason with Conspiracy of the New World Order. At the cost of 1000 life points (Entity's LP: 7000), this card allows the equipped Evolution Monster to declare a direct attack. Master Mason of the New World Order, attack Ma'at directly!" The monster begins to charge an orb of energy in front of it.

Ma'at gasps. "No, that would mean I lose!"

The entity grins. "Correct." He looks at Ma'at and shakes his head with disappointment. "I really must say Ma'at. I am sorry it has come to this. I was really hoping you would turn out better than this. You were supposed to assist me in this endeavor. That was the plan at least, until this Chaos scum," he beckons at Yuni, "corrupted you."

"What do you mean? You keep on speaking as if you know me, how do you know me?"

The entity grins. "I suppose it is time to reveal the truth to you." There is a flash of light. Once it recedes, the entity has taken on a human form. As we are seeing him from behind, his features cannot be seen.

Ma'at looks absolutely stunned. He takes a step back in both horror and shock. He stammers, "N…no…th…that's not…p…p…possible…! You…you're dead!"

We can now see his front. Themis smiles and asks, "What's the matter my boy? You look like you've seen a ghost." He laughs.


	5. Episode 112: New World Order Part 2

Episode 112: New World Order Part 2

**The Realm of Order**

Ma'at is terrified, in absolute shock, and speechless all at the same time. He stammers, "H…ho…how could th…this…b…be!? Th…Themis…is g…g…gone!"

Yuni is more confused than shocked. He asks, "Are you telling me that this entity is your dead master, the previous Lord of Order?"

Themis laughs. "That's exactly what he's saying." The person standing there is undeniably Themis, but he appears much stronger, as we have only seen him when he was sick and weak before. He is still an older man, but he is at full strength and appears stronger than ever. When he speaks, he speaks with confidence and strength, making it hard to connect his current voice with how he spoke before. He looks to Ma'at and asks, "Aren't you happy to see your old master my boy?"

Ma'at has now entered a period of rage. "You're not my master! Lord Themis was the Lord of Order! He never would have betrayed Order the way you have!"

Themis snaps, as if a teacher at a student, "No Ma'at, it is you who has betrayed Order! I have been preparing my grand plan for eons now! You were one of the final steps in it, and you have betrayed me! You were supposed to destroy the Lord of Chaos, and then join me here, and together we would rule the Grand Order, making it bend to our wishes, and completely destroying all traces of Darkness! But you betrayed me and Order by taking the same side as this Chaos scum!"

Ma'at is mortified by what he's hearing. He's in a state of shock, and just stands with a blank stare on his face.

Themis commands, "Now, let's set things right! Master Mason of the New World Order (Light/Level 7/Warrior/Evolution/ATK 2000/DEF 1600) (ATK: 4000), attack directly and erase this pathetic mistake from existence!" The monster unleashes a burst of energy at Ma'at. Ma'at is still in an almost trance-like state and doesn't move, not even to flinch. He's paying no attention to the attack, and seems to be trapped in his own mind.

Yuni shouts, "Come on Ma'at, do something!" Ma'at doesn't answer. He thinks, _I almost hate to do this after how he was treating me, but I have to. _Yuni declares, "I activate my Trap Card, Chaos Rebalance! Since there are only Light Attribute monsters on the field, I can negate your attack, and then Special Summon a Dark monster from my grave!" The attack is stopped, and then the Chaos Darkness Monger (Dark/Level 4/Fiend/ATK 1700/DEF 1300) returns to the field.

Themis looks at Yuni and demands, "How dare you interfere!? This is an internal matter of Order and none of your business!"

Yuni shouts back, "You've made this my business when you threatened to destroy the Balance of Chaos!"

"You will soon learn that going against me was the last mistake you will ever make (Themis' hand: 2)." With the end of his turn, the Master Mason Devolves into Herald of the New World Order (Light/Level 4/Fairy/Effect/ATK 1800/DEF 1400).

Yuni draws. He looks over to Ma'at, who is still seems to be stuck in some sort of traumatic reverie. He says, "Come on Ma'at, snap out of it. I need your help here." There's no response.

Yugi says, _Ma'at's dealing with a lot right now, give him some time._

_ I don't think there's any time to give him. _He groans and then speaks aloud, "Fine, I guess I'll do this alone. I activate Coming of Light! This Ritual Spell Card requires the tribute of a Light and Dark monster whose total levels equal seven or more, such as the two monsters on my field. I use it to summon Dawn of Chaos Dragon (Light/Level 7/Dragon/Ritual/ATK 2500/DEF 2000)!" An orb of light appears, and both of Yuni's monsters are sucked into it. The orb then morphs into the shape of a monster, and finally becomes that monster. It is a European-styled dragon, vaguely reminiscent of the Chaos Emperor Dragon, except an embodiment of light instead of Darkness. "Now Dawn of Chaos Dragon, attack the Herald of the New World Order!" Yuni's dragon attacks using a burst of light energy and destroys Themis' monster (Themis' LP: 6300).

Ma'at still pays no attention. He mutters to himself, "This…can't…be…possible…"

Yuni says, "Come on Ma'at, I can't do this alone."

Themis laughs. "Well it seems like you're going to have to!"

Yuni grunts. "I'm done (Yuni's hand: 3)."

Themis performs a Draw of Order. "I tribute Genesis of the New World Order in order to Special Summon Harbinger of the New World Order (Light/Level 5/Warrior/Effect/ATK 1900/DEF 200)." This new monster is a soldier wearing armor designed like the clothing of the previous New World Order monsters. It also holds a sword and shield made of light. "Now that I control a level five New World Order monster, I Evolve it into Templar Knight of the New World Order (Light/Level 8/Warrior/Evolution/ATK 3000/DEF 2300)!" The monster that it transforms into is another knight, this one wears a combination of ornate armor and cloth robes. It carries a larger shield in a triangular shape and a longer sword. On its chest plate is a red cross. "When the Harbinger of the New World Order is used as an Evolution Base, the monster that Evolved from it gains 1000 extra Attack Points (ATK: 4000)! Next I'll activate the effect of Templar Knight. When it's Evolution Summoned, I can destroy one card on the field." He looks to Ma'at. "I would tell you to say goodbye to your monster, but you don't seem like you're capable of that right now." He laughs and the Templar Knight throws its sword at Ma'at's Enforcer of Order, destroying it. "Now Templar Knight, attack my former student directly with New World Crusade!" The monster runs towards Ma'at, lifting its sword. Ma'at does nothing to respond.

Yuni groans and then declares, "I won't let you do that! I activate the effect of Dawn of Chaos Dragon! This effect allows me to change your attack target! You will now attack the Dawn of Chaos Dragon!" The knight suddenly changes its angle of running, and runs at Yuni's dragon, slashes through it, and then returns to Themis (Yuni's LP: 2500). "Now that it's been destroyed by battle, I can banish the Dawn of Chaos Dragon in order to add a Dusk of Chaos Soldier and the Ritual Spell Card Descent of Darkness from my deck to my hand."

Themis comments, "How noble of you. Your pathetic partner is doing nothing to help you, and yet you sacrifice your own monster and life points to save him."

Yuni responds, "Unlike you, I actually have a sense of honor." He looks to Ma'at, and then back. He then demands, "What are you anyways?"

Themis grins. "I suppose I could tell you my story. I am the last of the Bringers of Order, the ancient civilization that first discovered Order and brought it to our universe. My story begins eons ago. The Precursors had left our universe in favor of the Realm of Chaos, and the Bringers of Order were the only intergalactic society in the galaxy at the time. I was a leader of my people, a visionary amongst prophets. Our goal was to stop nothing short of bringing Order to the universe. As their leader, my people insisted on augmenting my strength. Through experimentation into the inner workings of the Grand Order, I was granted a power few could imagine. I was made immortal, and given power to rival even that of the Goddess of Order. With my new found power, my people waged war against the Precursors. Even tucked away in their Realm of Chaos, they were not safe."

Yuni interrupts, "We saw the monument, it claimed that your people made peace with the Precursors, and agreed to return to their roots, and follow Chaos once more."

Themis shouts, "My people betrayed me! We could have defeated the Precursors and wiped Chaos out of existence, but the Goddess of Order had other plans! In her infinite weakness and foolishness, she called for a return to Chaos! She declared that my people were to stop the fighting, and that Order and Chaos were to become one! My people were foolish enough to believe her! They signed the treaty and joined with the Precursors, I refused. Using my powers, I found that I had become even more powerful than the Goddess of Order herself. I was able to subvert her, alter her memories so that she would serve me!"

Yuni asks, "And the Precursors and your people?"

"I destroyed them! I planted a seed of corruption in their society that ultimately destroyed them."

Yuni gasps. "That's… the same seed of corruption that affected me when I dueled Oblivion!"

"After that, I knew that the old ways of Order and the Goddess of Order could not be trusted. I assumed a position of control by manipulating the Goddess of Order from the background. It was then that I formed my master plan to eventually seize complete power over the Grand Order and become a God of Order. Over the next several eons, I slowly enacted my plan. Teaching my altered doctrines of Order to those such as the Tyrian Empire. When Chaos was rediscovered on your Earth, I knew it was time for the next phase of my plan. I seduced a member of fledgling Society of Chaos to the side of Order, and created the Guardians of Order. For the next five millennia I stood by and watched as the Guardians grew in power. When they were finally satisfactory, I stepped up as the next Lord of Order. I knew that all that stood in my way of ultimate power was the Society of Chaos. Instead of wasting my own energy to destroy them, I decided I would raise another to do that." This seems to get Ma'at's attention, if only in the slightest bit. "Even when he was a baby, I knew that Ma'at would be perfect. So I destroyed his parents in such a way that he would one day blame the Society of Chaos!" Ma'at's eyes go wide. "With the accidental help of Apophis becoming corrupted by Darkness, and some subtle manipulation of my own, Ma'at grew to hate Chaos and quit the Society. After allowing him adequate time alone, I engineered an attack on him, from which I could save him, putting him in my debt." Ma'at gasps. "I groomed him from there to be the perfect Lord of Order. After faking my own death, and blaming it on Chaos, he was either supposed to destroy you, the Lord of Chaos, or have his soul banished trying. I made two mistakes; overestimating Ma'at's loyalty to me and assuming you would destroy him if he failed. Now I have to destroy both of you myself."

Ma'at is clenching his fists in rage. He mutters in anger, "Everything that has gone wrong in my life…it's all been your fault…"

"Your life could have been so much better if you had just followed me as you were supposed to."

Ma'at shouts in a furious rage, "It's all your fault! You killed my parents! You isolated me! You manipulated me! I can't believe I ever thought of you as a father figure! You destroyed my life!" He looks down to the ground and shakes his fists violently. He looks back up and screams, "I will destroy you!"

"You're more than welcome to try my boy."

Yuni interrupts, "It's good to have you back Ma'at, but allow me to do this first. By banishing the Coming of Light spell in my grave, I can activate the Descent of Darkness Ritual Spell from my hand! Since I'm banishing Coming of Light to activate this card, my tribute can be monsters straight from my deck. I'll send the Chaos Command Magician and Chaos Sorcerer to my grave in order to Ritual Summon Dusk of Chaos Soldier (Dark/Level 7/Warrior/Ritual/ATK 2500/DEF 2000)!" Just as the last monster appeared as a Light version of the Chaos Emperor Dragon, this monster seems to be a Black Luster Soldier of Darkness. "Now you can end your turn." Themis' Templar Knight Devolves (Themis' hand: 2). "Go ahead Ma'at, show him what you got!"

Ma'at ignores Yuni and draws. "I summon the Servant of Order (Light/Level 2/Spellcaster/Effect/ATK 300/DEF 800). Now by tributing it and discarding the Guardian of Order in my hand, I can Special Summon the Supreme Dragon of Order – Eunomia (Light/Level 9/Dragon/Effect/ATK ?/DEF ?) straight from my deck!" Ma'at's mighty dragon of Order appears before him (ATK and DEF: 3000). Ma'at then declares, "Go, Evolution of Order! Grand Order, master of the universe, I draw upon your power! Great dragon Eunomia, evolve and usher in the New World Order! I summon Divine Dragon of the New Order – Neo-Eunomia (Light/Level 11/Dragon/Evolution/ATK ?/DEF ?) (ATK and DEF: 1000)!"

Themis laughs. "I gave you the power to use that monster! I created it for the sole purpose of furthering my agenda. Just look at what you had to chant, what its name is! New World Order, that's what I'm bringing about!"

Ma'at realizes with horror that Themis is right. He then realizes, "I don't care! Eunomia and I have been through more than you could imagine together! She protects me, and I protect her! I don't care what you had planned for her, because now she's helping me!" As if to agree, Eunomia roars. "Now Eunomia, activate your effect and send the top four cards of my deck to the grave!" Eunomia roars again, this time activating its effect. "I just sent three Order monsters to my grave, meaning Eunomia's power will increase (ATK and DEF: 4000)! Now Neo-Eunomia, attack and destroy the Harbinger of the New World Order, Devastation of Order!" Eunomia unleashes a massive blast of light energy at Themis' monster, incinerating it (Themis' LP: 4200).

"Now I'll set a card, and return two of my Light monsters in my grave in order to prevent Eunomia from Devolving (ATK and DEF: 2000) (Ma'at's hand: 3)." He looks at Themis. "I was close to not even attempting to defeat you before, as I wasn't sure who among us was wrong, but now I know I'm right. You are manipulative, and an insult to Order! I can't believe I ever called you master!"

Seeming like he doesn't care, Themis performs a Draw of Order and declares, "Are you trying to hurt me with your words? Ha! You have no such power over me. All that love and care I showed towards you, it was all fake. A tool to manipulate you with." This seems to hurt Ma'at.

Yuni says, "Come on Ma'at, don't let him get to you. He's trying to catch you off guard."

Ma'at slowly nods. "Right."

Themis chuckles. "React however you'd like. It really doesn't matter to me. In fact, I'll take my turn the same regardless. I summon Prophet of the New World Order (Light/Level 4/Psychic/Effect/ATK 1600/DEF 1900)." This monster is some sort of mystic, holding a crystal ball and wearing the robes of the New World Order. I'll immediately Evolve it into Rose Cross of the New World Order (Light/Level 8/Psychic/Evolution/ATK 3000/DEF 2400)!" This monster seems to be some sort of holy figure. It wears long elegant robes and a majestic hat. It holds a cross wrapped with roses, and wears a necklace of roses around its neck. "Normally the Rose Cross has to be Evolved from a specific New World Order monster, but the Prophet of the New World Order can fulfill the Evolution requirements of any New World Order Evolution Monster. Now, Rose Cross of the New World Order, destroy Neo-Eunomia!" Themis' monster summons up a whirlwind of rose petals that are sent at Ma'at's monster.

Ma'at counters, "I activate my Trap Card, Invulnerability of Order! This trap prevents Eunomia from being destroyed by battle or card effects for the remainder of the turn!" A barrier appears around Eunomia, and the attack is halted.

Themis nods. "Fine, I activate the effect of Rose Cross. When it declares an attack, I can summon a New World Order monster from graveyard, such as the Harbinger of the New World Order and then immediately Evolve it into a monster from my Devolution Zone, such as the Templar Knight of the New World Order!" Themis' monster returns to the field, and then Evolves right away. "Now that I just Evolution Summoned the Templar Knight, its effect activates, allowing me to destroy a monster on the field. Since Eunomia is currently protected, I'll select the Dusk of Chaos Soldier!" Themis' knight hurls its sword at Yuni's soldier and destroys it.

Yuni says, "Fine, but when you destroy the Dusk of Chaos Soldier, it's effect activates, and destroys another monster on the field, such as your Templar Knight so that it can't attack me!" A blast of shadows takes out Themis' monster.

Themis responds, "Then I'll have to end my turn by setting this card (Themis' hand: 1)." Rose Cross Devolves back into Prophet of the New World Order.

Yuni declares, "It's time for this duel to get serious!" He holds his arm to the sky and declares, "Go, Chaos Draw!" His hand and deck glows as he draws a card.

Ma'at looks at Yuni and asks, "I thought you couldn't perform a Chaos Draw in this realm, what happened?"

Yuni answers, "I am fighting for the fate of Chaos, I am more connected to the Balance of Chaos now than I ever have been before." He looks to Themis. "Which is bad news for you! I activate Chaos Relic: Balance Seeker of Cutho! Now by banishing a Light or Dark monster from my grave, I can add a monster of the opposite Attribute from my deck to my hand. I banish the Dusk of Chaos Soldier in order to receive the Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning! By banishing Chaos Command Magician and Chaos Sorcerer, I summon it! Come to me, Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning (Light/Level 8/Warrior/Effect/ATK 3000/DEF 2500)! Then I banish Chaos Darkness Monger and Chaos Light Bringer in order to summon the Chaos Emperor Dragon – Envoy of the End (Dark/Level 8/Warrior/Effect/ATK 3000/DEF 2500)!" Both Envoys of Chaos appear on the field. Chaos Emperor Dragon roars and Black Luster Soldier raises its sword to the sky.

Black Luster Soldier says, "The Chaos Deity sent us to serve you, use us as you wish!"

Chaos Emperor Dragon roars, "We shall destroy all who seek to destroy the Balance!"

Yuni looks to them and says, "Thanks guys, I'm going to need it." He then declares, "I activate Chaos Greed! Since I have at least four banished monsters, and no monsters in my grave, I can draw two cards." He raises his arm once more. "Go, Double Chaos Draw!" He draws two cards. "I activate Chaos Relic: Night Force of Dapo! This card sends four Chaos monsters from my deck to my grave!" Four cards are transferred from Yuni's deck to his grave. "Then I'll activate Chaos Relic: Day Power of Opad! Now for every card I've sent from my deck to the grave this turn, I get to send another." Four more cards are sent to the grave. Yuni shouts, "Now I banish two Light and two Dark monsters from my grave in order to Chaos Evolve my monsters!"

Black Luster Soldier declares, "Let us begin!"

Chaos Emperor Dragon roars, "I'm ready!"

"I summon Chaos-Destiny Shining Soldier – Herald of Genesis (Light/Level 10/Warrior/Evolution/ATK 4000/DEF 3500) and Chaos-Doom Overlord Dragon – Herald of Apocalypse (Dark/Level 10/Dragon/Evolution/ATK 4000/DEF 3500)!" In a brilliant display of Light and Darkness, the two Envoys have transformed into their Herald forms.

Themis declares, "Your monster don't scare me! The Prophet of the New World Order cannot be destroyed by battle the turn after it Devolves, and I take no battle damage from battles involving it!"

Yuni shouts, "Then I'll have Chaos-Doom Overlord Dragon use its effect to destroy all monsters you control! Use Chaos-Doom Apocalypse!"

The dragon roars, "It would be my pleasure!" It roars again and then a storm of fire and shadows annihilates Themis' monster.

"Now Chaos-Destiny Shining Soldier, attack Themis directly!"

Themis declares, "I activate my Trap Card, String Pulling of the New World Order! This card summons three New World Order Tokens (Light/Level 1/Warrior/Token/ATK 0/DEF 0) to my field in Defense Mode!"

Yuni counters, "Then I'll activate the effect of Chaos-Destiny Shining Soldier, Chaos-Destiny Genesis, and have it attack each of your monsters!"

The warrior declares, "I will destroy them all!" It raises its blade of light, which glows stronger than before and creates a pulse of light that destroys each of Themis' monsters.

Yuni sets a card. "You've survived, but just barely. I banish the four remaining monsters in my grave in order to keep my Chaos Evolution monsters (Yuni's hand: 0).

Themis performs a Draw of Order and then laughs. "Yes, you came close, but close doesn't cut it! By returning two Light monsters from my grave to my deck, I summon Visionary of the New World Order (Light/Level 7/Psychic/Effect/ATK 2400/DEF 1200)!" This monster is a tall and commanding figure. It wears a cloak that covers most of its body. Two glowing eyes can be seen under the shadow of the hood. "When I summon the Visionary, I'm allowed to pay 1000 life points in order to send two Light monsters from my deck to the grave, in order to replace the ones I just lost (Themis' LP: 3200). However, I'm just going to return them to the deck again in order to perform an Evolution of Order!" The monster begins to glow fiercely. "I summon Illuminati, Manipulator of the New World Order (Light/Level 10/Psychic/Evolution/ATK 4000/DEF 3200)!" The new monster emerges. It is obviously a direct Evolution of the previous monster, as it appears very similar. It is also a tall and imposing figure, hiding most of its features behind a hooded cloak. A sinister aura of light surrounds it. Growing out of its chest is an actual giant eyeball. "When I summon Illuminati, I can automatically bring back each of the New World Order Evolution Monsters that are currently in my Devolution Zone, so say hello to Master Mason of the New World Order, Templar Knight of the New World Order, and Rose Cross of the New World Order!" All three smaller Evolution Monsters appear around the massive one. "And since I summoned three, that means I can now destroy three monsters on the field."

Yuni declares, "I activate my trap, Chaos Dimension Jump! This card banishes all Chaos monsters I control!" Yuni looks at the two Heralds, who look back at him and nod in understanding. Both monsters are pulled into a vortex. Yuni declares, "When the Chaos-Destiny Shining Soldier is banished, it adds the Supreme Chaos Deity – Ruler of Eternity from my deck to my hand, and when the Chaos-Doom Overlord Dragon is banished, it allows me to summon the Supreme Chaos Deity from my hand by banishing the Black Luster Soldier and Chaos Emperor Dragon now in my grave! Supreme Chaos Deity – Ruler of Eternity (Chaos/Level 12/Divine-Beast/Effect/ATK 5000/DEF 5000), lend your power to me so that we may destroy this threat to the Balance once and for all!" Everything goes pitch black, and then there's a blinding flash of light. With that flash, the Supreme Chaos Deity appears behind Yuni.

It shouts at Themis, "You have threatened to completely destroy the Balance of Chaos. I will make you pay for that!"

Themis doesn't even flinch. "I am next to a god myself. I do not fear you." He looks to Ma'at. "Yuni's monsters may have escaped doom, but yours has not! Say goodbye to Eunomia!" Ma'at's monster is destroyed.

Ma'at declares, "Since you just destroyed her, I'm allowed to activate my own Trap Card! I activate Replacement of Order! I am now allowed to summon up to three Order monsters of the same name from my deck! I summon three Defenders of Order (Light/Level 3/Warrior/Effect/ATK 0/DEF 2000)!

"I'll just destroy them one by one! Illuminati, attack one of Ma'at's monsters!"

"Wrong! If I control another Order monster, you can't attack the Defender of Order! That means you can't attack any of my monsters!"

Themis nods and sets a card. "That is so. Fine, I'll return two more Light monsters to my deck to keep Illuminati on my field, and my other monsters get to stay, since they weren't summoned through normal means (Themis' hand: 0)."

Ma'at looks to his deck and thinks, _Alright Goddess, let's finish this. _He declares aloud, "Go, Draw of Order!" He draws his card. It's the Goddess of the Grand Order.

As soon as Ma'at draws, something happens. A beam of light connects the Goddess' card to the Supreme Chaos Deity. There is then a tremendous flash of light. When it subsides, Yuni and Ma'at find themselves floating in an empty void. In front of them is the Supreme Chaos Deity and the Goddess of Order. The Chaos Deity says, "I have not seen you in eons. I hope you realize the error of your ways"

The Goddess nods solemnly and responds, "Yes…I do."

Ma'at demands, "My lady, what's going on here!?"

She turns to Ma'at. "My child, as you know, this is the Supreme Chaos Deity…he is also my husband."

Yuni and Ma'at gasp. Yuni shouts in surprise, "But you two are complete opposites! How is that possible!?"

The Chaos Deity answers, "Eons ago, before Order existed, the Goddess of Order was my wife, and she served by my side in protecting the Balance of Chaos. We ruled for an eternity together, but then she started to question things."

The Goddess of Order nods. "Yes, I began to question the concept of the Balance, and wondered if there was anything else. I set out on a quest for answers. In that quest, I discovered Order…well…more like I created it. Order was born of Chaos."

Ma'at is in denial. "No, that's not possible! The Grand Order has always existed!"

The Chaos Deity thunders, "No, it was an artificial construct!"

Ma'at pleads to the Goddess, "No, tell him that isn't true Goddess! Tell him he's wrong!"

The Goddess shakes her head regretfully. "I'm sorry my child, but he is not. There was a period in time when I realized that even I was wrong."

Yuni makes the connection. "When you told the Bringers of Order to make peace with the Precursors."

The Goddess nods. "Yes, and I was fully willing to return to Chaos as well, at least until Themis got into my head. Now that you are fighting him, his grip on me is slipping. I remember it all clearly now."

The Chaos Deity adds, "As do I. Chaos and Order are to recombine. They will once again become one and the same."

Ma'at shouts in horror, "No! No! No!" He starts to cry. "No, this can't be true!"

The Goddess attempts to comfort Ma'at, "Be calm my child, please. I realize how hard this must be for you, but it is the truth."

Yuni says to Ma'at, "Ma'at…Matt, I was thinking about this when we split up. We knew that our ideals were incompatible when we first teamed up to fight New Yugoha, but we still did. We became friends in spite of those differences. It wasn't until I suggested that Chaos and Order were actually the same that you got angry. I think that deep down, you know all of this to be true. Your heart admits that you could be wrong, but your mind wouldn't. That's why you got so angry. You were trying to defend a point that you didn't even believe yourself. You were trying to prove it to yourself as much as you were trying to prove it to me. Think about how you felt then, remember your life before you quit the Society of Chaos, imagine how your life would have been without Themis interfering."

Ma'at closes his eyes, and allows the memories to wash over him. Ma'at suddenly looks up and nods. "I know what I must do."

The Goddess states, "Thank you my child."

There's another flash of light, and Yuni and Ma'at are returned to their positions on the duel field. Ma'at looks up at Themis with intense anger. He shouts, "I'm taking you down for everything you've done to me! I return the three Order monsters on my field to the deck in order to summon the Goddess of the Grand Order (Order/Level 12/Divine-Beast/Effect/ATK 4500/DEF 4500)!"

Themis declares, "I activate my Trap card, Secrecy of the New World Order! This card prevents any of my New World Order monsters from being destroyed by battle this turn, and stops all battle damage I would take!

Yuni declares, "I activate the effect of Chaos Light Bringer! Since both it and Chaos Darkness Monger are banished, I can return them to my graveyard once during the duel!" He looks to Ma'at and instructs, "Ma'at, take that anger you are feeling! Use that dark emotion and mix it with your serenity of Order to create a new Balance!"

Ma'at takes a deep breath and nods. He looks to Themis and declares, "I guess I should thank you Themis." Themis doesn't respond, he just appears confused. "You may have taken control of my life, but now you have only allowed me to realize what that life really means. I banish Yuni's Light and Dark monster from his grave in order to perform a Chaos Evolution!" A single tear falls from Ma'at's eye.

Themis is outraged. "What!? I knew you were a traitor, but how dare you utilize the powers of Chaos! I will destroy you for this!"

Ma'at shakes his head. "No Themis, I am not a traitor any longer. I was, but now I redeem myself! I summon Goddess of Chaos - Ruler of the Balance (Chaos/Level 12/Divine-Beast/Evolution/ATK 4500/DEF 4500)!" The Goddess of Order is covered up by a massive yin-yang. A constant series of flashes followed by pitch darkness ensues. After several cycles of this, it stops, and the yin-yang disappears. Now the Goddess has changed. Her gown is now black and white with gold and dark-purple trimmings. Her hair has gone from pure gold, to gold on only one side, and dark-purple on the other. Her face is now covered by a yin-yang inspired mask, similar to the one worn by the Supreme Chaos Deity. The two deities of Chaos stand side-by-side. Ma'at declares, "Now that the Goddess of Order has returned to her true form, her true power can shine! I can inflict damage to you equal to the attack of all Chaos monsters on the field! That's a total of 9500 points!"

Both Yuni and Ma'at shout at once, "You're done for Themis!" Both Chaos Deities clasp hands, and then raise their opposite hand towards the sky and charge energy, the Chaos Deity dark, and the Goddess of Chaos light. Together they unleash their power.

Themis shouts, "No!" as he is hit (Themis' LP: 0). All of his monsters are destroyed by the attack as well. Themis instantly begins to dematerialize. He looks at Ma'at with absolute disgust and hatred. He scolds, "I raised you to follow Order! How could you betray the Grand Order!?"

Ma'at takes a deep breath and says, "It was not I who betrayed the Grand Order, it was the Grand Order that betrayed me. It was all fake! Everything I dedicated the past years of my life to was fake! I now realize my mistake. Chaos was never wrong, it was I who was wrong!"

Themis, now almost entirely disintegrated, states one simple phrase, "You're wrong…" as he disappears completely.

Ma'at suddenly falls to the floor and begins to sob. Yuni walks over to him and asks, "Are you okay?"

Ma'at sobs, "I don't know. My entire life has been a lie. I don't know what or who I am now."

Yuni offers a hand to help him up and says, "I know. You are Ma'at, or Matt if you prefer, and you are a member of the Society of Chaos."

Ma'at looks up to Yuni. "Would you accept me back?"

Yuni nods. "Of course I would."

Ma'at smiles, wipes a tear from his eye, sniffles, and takes Yuni's hand.

The Supreme Chaos Deity says, "Yuni, Ma'at, I will forever be in your debt. It is because of you that after all these eons I have finally been reunited with my wife. It is thanks to you that Chaos is more at Balance than it has been since she left back before even your universe existed."

The Goddess says, "You are both my children now, and I will always watch over you. Now, let's get you back where you belong." There is a flash of light, and Yuni and Ma'at find themselves back in the Ruins of Order, exactly where they were before they were pulled into the Realm of Order.

Yuni and Ma'at take a moment to look around, and then look back at each other and smile. Yuni jokes, "I guess that's that."

Ma'at, who still is slightly crying, agrees, "Yes, it's the end of an era."

Yuni points out, "The end of one era is the beginning of another." Both smile again, and then turn to walk towards the exit.

* * *

Otto is standing in the shadows of his dimly lit room. He is looking over his chessboard, which is down to the black and white kings. Otto says, "We are only four days away from the Solstice. Only four days from when I claim this galaxy as my own. It is time to begin the Final Phase. It is time to conquer Earth so that I may rule it by the time of the Solstice." He waves his hand over the chessboard, and several orbs of darkness manifest themselves around the white king, completely surrounding it. Those orbs then solidify and take on the form of black pawns. Otto laughs maliciously. "The 20,000 year wait is over, Ottiuk will rise again!"


	6. Episode 113: Apocalypse

Episode 113: Apocalypse

**Domino City**

It's a dark and stormy night. A bolt of lightning illuminates a giant building. A shadowy figure walks up to it. Another bolt of lightning. It's Otto. He says to himself, "Ah, the Ministry of Dueling. How ironic that a symbol of the game that has so ruined my life over the millennia is now where I turn to regain my power." He steps inside.

Once inside, a secretary at a desk says, "I'm sorry sir, but we're currently closed to the public. If you want to come back tomorrow anytime between the hours of seven and five o'clock, we'll be more than happy to-"

Otto holds a hand up to her head and says, "Don't worry, I have an appointment." The secretary falls unconscious. Otto walks over to the teleportation pad, sets something on the control panel, and steps onto the pad. He teleports and steps off on another floor. He's now in a room full of machines and various pieces of technology. He looks at the center of the room, where a large mechanical device sits. "And here is my destination; the Central Dueling Computer. From here, a signal is sent to all the Duel Gauntlets in the world. Its ability to send a signal around the world will allow me to broadcast my own powers." He pulls out something from his pocket. It's the Dark Drive, the alien artifact that generates untold dark power, stolen from Professor Jones. He holds it up with one arm, and begins to draw shadowy energy out of it. He places his other hand on the central machine, funneling the dark energy into it. He laughs. "This was too easy! By this time tomorrow, the entire world will be under my control." He continues to laugh.

From the outside of the building, a giant satellite dish on the roof emits a large beam of shadows. That beam reaches into space, where it is received by an orbiting satellite. That satellite transmits the signal to a network of orbiting satellites, and in turn each one sends the shadow beam back down to Earth. A cascade of darkness begins to cover the planet.

* * *

Yuni is sleeping in his bed. Probably due to the exhaustion of previous events, he fell asleep with his clothes still on. He is dreaming. In his dream, he's walking down a long empty hallway. He calls out, "Hello? Is anybody there?" His voice echoes, but there is no response. Up ahead he notices several figures in a line. He runs towards them shouting, "Hello, can you tell me where I am!?" They don't respond. As he approaches them, the figures become clearer. There are three of them. At first it seems like there are three silhouettes of Yuni, but then their features become apparent. The one closest is the Legendary Knight of Atlantis, Timaeus. Then it's the once nameless Pharaoh, Atem. Last in the line is Yugi himself. All three look at Yuni blankly and lifelessly, Yuni stares back with confusion. "What's going on here?"

All three respond at the same time, "Our destiny is upon us." The three suddenly glow golden and turn into a cloud of energy. The three bodies then combine into one and reconsolidate.

The new form emits a blinding light, but a human silhouette can be seen in its center. A regal and majestic voice declares, "Do not fail Yuni, the fate of the galaxy rests upon our shoulders…" The figure and light slowly fades away, so does the world around Yuni.

Yuni looks back and forth and panics. He asks, "What does any of this mean!?"

Back in his room, Yuni tosses and turns, and then wakes up. Before he can contemplate his dream, he realizes that a monstrous creature is hunched over him, about to grab him. Yuni leaps out of bed and shouts, "Ah! What are you!?" The creature is roughly human shaped and sized. Its entire exterior is black and dark purple. It has an almost zombie-like appearance. It hunches over and moves with an almost animal-like nature. Three more creatures have entered Yuni's room and backed him into a corner. Yuni demands, "Who are you!?"

The creatures' only response is a moan.

Yugi says with horror, _Yuni, look closely at the first one._

Yuni's eyes widen in surprise as he recognizes the familiar shape of the creature. He shouts, "Grandpa, no!"

Just then someone breaks through Yuni's window and lands on the floor between Yuni and the creatures. It stands up, revealing himself to be Cosmo. He declares, "Back foul beasts!" and creates a flash of light, which drives the creatures back.

Yuni gasps, "Cosmo!?"

Cosmo turns to face Yuni and says, "My Prince, we must leave now." Yuni is speechless so he nods. Cosmo grabs Yuni by the arm and yanks him as he leaps back out of the window. He then jumps off of Yuni's roof, both of them landing in Yuni's yard. He then yanks Yuni along as he runs away. Yuni runs with him.

Yuni demands, "Cosmo, what's going on here!?"

Cosmo turns his head without slowing and answers morbidly, "I'm afraid that your world is coming to an end."

* * *

Seto is sitting in his office at Kaiba Corp. On the other side of his desk is Tori. She is saying, "Come on Seto, you're Yuni's friend, can't you help out?"

Seto sighs with annoyance. "I already told you, I am not your friend, I'm not Yuni's friend. Now can you just leave me alone?"

Tori sighs and turns around. Just as she is about to walk out of the room, a wave of darkness washes over the room. Is passes by Seto without any effect. He looks behind him, where it came from, and asks, "What was that!?" He hears a moaning noise, and turns around to see that where Tori stood before is now one of the shadow creatures. It does resemble Tori though. "What happened to you!?" The Tori-creature turns back towards Seto and starts to slowly walk towards him. Seto warns, "Stand back!" She doesn't listen. When she gets close enough, Seto punches her, knocking her back.

The creature falls limp against a wall. The point where Seto touched her is now glowing. From that point, light begins to spread across the body. As the light washes over the body, Tori's original form is restored. After she is fully restored, she regains consciousness. She looks up to Seto and asks weakly, "What just happened…?"

Seto shakes his head. "I was hoping that you could tell me."

Just then, the doors to Seto's office doors slide open, and several shadow creatures lumber in. Tori leaps up, and she and Seto back away slowly. Tori asks, "Any ideas?"

Seto shakes his head. That's when there's a flash of light, and Celestia appears in the room in front of Seto. She holds up her arms and declares, "By the Light of Yugoha, you shall not harm Seto!" She generates a pulse of light just like Cosmo, repelling the shadow creatures. She turns back to look at Seto.

Seto nods and states calmly, "Celestia."

She nods back and replies, "Seto." After a moment of awkwardness, she then says, "Come on, there's no time to waste, we have to get you out of here." She looks to Tori. "I guess you can come too, just hurry." The three of them run out of the office doors.

* * *

Cosmo is still pulling Yuni through the streets. Yuni suddenly halts, anchoring Cosmo. He demands, "What do you mean the world is ending!?"

Cosmo says urgently, "There's no time to explain, we have to go."

Yuni shakes his head. "No, tell me what's going on."

Cosmo sighs. "Fine, but I won't go into the fine details. An ancient entity and enemy of Yugoha known as Ottiuk, the Spirit of Darkness, has decided to turn your world into his personal throne. This is how he starts his attack, by using his dark powers to corrupt the citizens of a planet, turning them into his slaves."

Yuni's eyes widen. "That's awful! How do we stop him?"

"There's only one way to stop him, that's using the power you and Seto contain. That's why you weren't affected by Ottiuk's spell, but the rest of the world was."

Yuni suddenly realizes something. "Everyone else!? You mean the entire world!? Brutus, Tori!" He turns in the opposite direction and runs off.

Cosmo shouts, "Wait, where are you going!?"

Yuni shouts back, "I have to save my friends!"

Cosmo runs after him. "There's no time! We have to get you off this planet!"

"That's too bad!" He stops in front of Brutus' house. Cosmo stops next him. Yuni says, "And what if he has been affected?"

"He has been."

"Alright then, how do we reverse the spell?"

Seeing that there's no stopping Yuni, Cosmo sighs and says, "It's possible that ancient Yugohan magic contained within your body could be enough to reverse it. If that is the case, a single touch should be enough to revert the affected back to their human state. However, that touch has to be initiated by you. If one of the creatures touches you, it will corrupt you as well. If that doesn't work, there is no way short of defeating Ottiuk."

Yuni nods and runs into Brutus' house. He runs up the stairs and into Brutus' room. On the opposite side of the room is another shadow creature, judging by its size, it is obviously Brutus. Yuni calls, "Brutus, is that you?"

The creature looks up at Yuni. It lets out an almost growling sound and then lunges at Yuni. Yuni leaps to the side, gets back up, and then taps Brutus on the back. The Brutus creature moans and falls to the ground. The point on its back where Yuni tapped him is glowing. The glow spreads to the rest of the body, purging Brutus of the darkness.

Brutus slowly regains consciousness and asks, "Whoa, what's going on? Why are you here Yuni?"

Yuni shakes his head. "No time to explain, you've got to come with me."

Brutus nods with confusion. "Alright…sure." He gets up and follows Yuni back outside.

Yuni says to Cosmo, "Now we have to get Tori."

Cosmo shakes his head. "Fortunately for you, your friend happened to be with Seto when the spell was cast. She's fine and is currently with my daughter. Now come on, we have to get to my ship."

The group runs down the street, following Cosmo. A horde of shadow creatures blocks their way. Cosmo stops and says, "It looks like we're not going to avoid this fight." He readies himself.

Yuni steps forward as well. He says to Brutus, "Whatever you do, don't touch them, okay?"

Brutus gulps and nods, looking at the creatures with horror. "You don't have to tell me twice."

The horde approaches them. Cosmo says, "Shield your eyes." Yuni and Brutus do as they're told and Cosmo creates a massive flash of light, bigger than before, that stuns the creatures.

Yuni then leaps forward and unleashes a beam of concentrated light at the creatures most directly blocking them. The attack clears a path. Cosmo, Yuni, and Brutus run through it.

As they progress, several more creatures converge on them. Yuni and Cosmo trade off using light-based attacks to drive them off. They eventually approach a normally empty lot. In the lot is Cosmo's starship. It is roughly triangularly shaped, and is smooth and seamless, apparently designed using only a single piece of metal. Celestia is standing at the bottom of a loading ramp and shouts, "Daddy, hurry!"

Cosmo looks behind him to a massive swarm of shadow creatures, even larger than before, following them. The three sprint at maximum speed, make it to the ramp, and run up. Celestia follows them in and closes the ramp behind her. Yuni and Brutus join Seto and Tori in the passenger compartment, and Cosmo and Celestia run into the cockpit, Cosmo taking the captain's chair, and Celestia the copilot's.

Celestia says, "Activating main anti-grav repulsors!"

Cosmo nods and declares, "Booting up navigation mainframe!" Just out the window, the first of the shadow creatures have made it to the ship. They start to pound on the hull. The ship lifts up, defying gravity, and knocking back the creatures. The ship then flies straight up with a burst of speed. Within moments it has exited Earth's atmosphere. Cosmo declares, "We have entered outer space."

Yuni, Tori, and Brutus cheer, Seto breathes a small sigh of relief.

Yuni looks behind him, through a window. He gasps.

Yugi says in utter disbelief, _That's…horrible…_

Brutus asks, "What is it Yuni?" He peeks over Yuni's shoulder and gasps as well. Tori looks to, and she is just as shocked. Through the window, Earth can be seen, but it is not the pristine blue marble spoken of. Instead, it is a nightmarish image. A layer of shadowy purple fog encases the planet almost completely. Where it should be day, there is only darkness. Where it's night, there are no human-made lights of cities and towns.

Tori manages to say, "Earth…it's dying…"

Back in the cockpit, Celestia looks at a display and shouts, "Sorry to break the news, but we're not out of this yet, Ottiuk has taken control of the planetary defense grid! He's aiming the weapons at us!"

Cosmo is surprised. "A planetary defense grid!? There wasn't one of those last time we were here."

Yuni explains, "You can thank New Yugoha's invasion for that."

Cosmo commands, "Alright then, normally the engines require a greater start up time, but we have no other choice but to make the jump cold, we can't afford the time to let the engine warm up. Activate the Spatial Warp Engine!"

Celestia nods. "Affirmative." She hits several switches. "Coordinates locked in. Spatial Warp Engine coming online."

Cosmo nods. "Engage!"

From the outside, two missiles can be seen flying towards the starship. Just before they're about the hit, the entire ship seems to distort, stretching along its axis until it's a thin line of light, and then disappearing from sight with an incredible burst of speed as it snaps back into its original shape.

Back in the ship, Cosmo and Celestia breathe a sigh of relief. Celestia announces, "Now we're safe."

Everyone, even Seto, cheers. Cosmo states, "Activating autopilot," flips a switch, and then gets up. He walks back into the passenger compartment and asks, "Is everyone okay?" Everyone nods.

Tori states, "Alright…Earth...what happened? That was an image from a nightmare."

Brutus says, "Yeah, and I think it's about time that I get an explanation about what's going on here."

Cosmo sighs and takes a seat. "I suppose that I should tell you all now that we have time." He begins to tell his story. "Every society has their gods, but they also have their demons. The difference about Yugoha is that it had direct communication with its gods, and hence, direct contact with its demons. The being known as Ottiuk, which is the Yugohan word for Darkness, is an evil entity that has existed for as long as Yugohan memory stretches back. If it wasn't for the protection of Versal, Chronos, and Quantus, Yugoha would have fallen to his evil much earlier."

Yuni asks, "Earlier, as in Yugoha did fall to Ottiuk? I thought it was a combination of civil war and attack by Tyria."

Cosmo shakes his head. "True and not true. The Great Yugohan Civil War did weaken the empire, but even worse, it caused a schism between the gods. Ottiuk saw this as an opportunity to attack. Ottiuk is known for being a master manipulator. He used the Tyrian Empire's hatred of Yugoha as a tool to destroy it. That did not become apparent until the final days of Yugoha. Once that became clear, so did something else; if Yugoha fell to Ottiuk, so would the galaxy, maybe even the universe. Yugoha was the one force that could stand against Ottiuk."

Seto laughs mockingly. "There's a flaw in your fairy tale old man, the universe isn't under the control of this evil entity, only the Earth, and that's only as of an hour ago, not 20,000 years."

Celestia walks in. "Yes, that is because of the brave sacrifice the Yugohan Princes."

Yuni's eyes widen. "You mean that's what happened to Prince Yu-Gi-Oh and Prince Seto? They sacrificed themselves to stop Ottiuk?"

Cosmo nods. "Yes, using the magic of Another Hope, they sealed away Ottiuk's power."

Seto laughs again, obviously not taking this situation as seriously as the others. "Looks like their glorious plan failed, because he's back."

Brutus says, "Hey, don't forget you're talking about yourself when you say that."

Seto looks at Brutus, about to counter his statement, but then decides not to. He remains silent.

Cosmo nods. "Yes, he is back, but trust me, he is not yet returned to full power. What you saw is only a fraction of the power he wields when at full strength. Fortunately for us, he is trapped on Earth for now, and without the power of Another Hope, he has no way to return to his former power."

Yuni nods, and then reaches down for his locket, but grasps only air. With panic, he looks down. He is not wearing his locket. His eyes widen and he has a flashback to when he was rescuing Brutus. He's leaping to the side to avoid being touched by Brutus. As he does, the locket slips off and lands on the floor. Back in the present, Yuni is horrorstruck. He says nervously, "Um…guys…we have a problem…"

* * *

Otto is in Brutus' room. He bends over and picks Yuni's locket up off the floor. He holds it up the chain so that the locket dangles in front of his face and says, "You may have escaped me Princes of Yugoha, but I now hold all of the cards." He begins to laugh malevolently. The scene begins to zoom out. We first see Brutus' house from the outside. It is surrounded by a massive horde of shadow creatures. Next is Domino City from above, a shadowy haze covers it. Finally we see the planet. As seen before, it is a dying world. An image that would once inspire hope now shows nothing but doom and gloom. All this time, Otto's laughing can still be heard.


	7. Episode 114: Yesterday's Today

Episode 114: Yesterday's Today

_**Y.S.S. Yugoha's Legacy,**_** Interstellar Space**

Yuni, Brutus, Tori, Seto, Cosmo, and Celestia are gathered in the passenger compartment of Cosmo's ship. Cosmo asks with shock, "What do you mean you don't have Another Hope!?"

Yuni answers morbidly, "I think that back when we were trying to save Brutus, and I leaped out of his way, my locket fell off…"

Cosmo shakes his head with disbelief. "This is not good. We can't afford to head back to Earth to retrieve it, and we must assume that Ottiuk has already gained possession of it."

Seto asks, "So now that Yuni's gone and screwed that up, what do we do now?"

Cosmo thinks it over. "We have no choice but to continue on our original plan."

Brutus asks, "And what is that? You never explained that part."

"Our destination is a small, deserted planet not relatively far from Earth. Back during the prime of Yugoha, it was an important trade hub. Towards the end of Yugoha's lifespan, soon before the Yugohan Civil War broke out, something was built there. It was piece of experimental technology known as a temporal gate."

Tori questions, "Temporal gate? As in a time machine!?"

Celestia nods and answers for Cosmo. "Yes, a time machine. Just as Quantus, the Spatial Lord lent us his power to travel between the stars at speeds faster than light with the spatial warp engine, Chronos, the Temporal Lord granted us the power to travel through time with a temporal gate. Yugoha was still experimenting with them when it fell into civil war, so they were never utilized to their full potential."

Cosmo continues explaining, "Fortunately, they never became public knowledge, so New Yugoha never knew they existed. They should still be hidden across Yugohan Space."

Yuni nods. "Alright, so we have access to time machines. What do we do with them?"

Cosmo says, "We need to assemble help. To tell you how that is going to work, I first must explain what happened during the final days before the fall of Yugoha. They were dark days, Yugoha had been torn apart not only by fighting with itself, but against the Tyrian Empire as well. It was in those final days that Celestia and I, having been on a mission to gather data by spying on Tyria, realized the true threat against Yugoha. Ottiuk had been working in the background. He had been influencing both factions of Yugoha to keep the civil war raging, and Tyria in order to weaken the empire further. It quickly became evident there was no hope. Yugoha was going to fall, and it only had days left to survive. It took some hard work, but my daughter and I were eventually able to convince Princes Yu-Gi-Oh and Seto of the danger enough for them to put their strife behind them. The princes, Celestia, and I spent the next day doing whatever we could to figure out how to defeat Ottiuk. The solution came in the form of an ancient Yugohan spell from the very dawn of Yugohan civilization: Another Hope. As you know, Another Hope has the power to split apart, and to recombine."

Yuni nods. He thinks back to first when he used Another Hope to split Cosmo-as-Oblivion's monster into its four original components, and then to when he merged the three Yugohan Lords into one ultimate Lord.

Cosmo continues, "The origin of the Another Hope's magic is unknown, lost to time. But we had our solution. We transferred the magic of the spell into card form for us to use. In a final battle against Ottiuk, we used the splitting power of Another Hope separate all of his power and seal it in several different artifacts. We discovered what, at the time, was primitive planet, which you have come to call Earth, and hid the artifacts there. However, even with Ottiuk seemingly defeated, Yugoha was still on the brink of destruction. There was no helping it, Yugoha was days away from falling to the onslaught of Tyria. Despite this, we knew that Ottiuk was not defeated for good. We knew that in the future, Ottiuk might return. We knew that only Yugoha could stand against him. We needed to preserve Yugoha. So, we devised our final plan. Using the power of Another Hope once again, we split the souls of Yu-Gi-Oh and Seto. Using a combination of my magic, and the temporal gates, we scattered these soul fragments across time, placing them all on Earth, so that each soul fragment may fend off against the return of Ottiuk."

Yuni gasps. "That's why I'm a reincarnation of Yu-Gi-Oh! And Yugi must have been another!"

Yugi reminds him, _The same goes for Atem, and Timaeus too!_

Cosmo nods. "Yes, each prince was split into four fragments, and we placed each of those fragments 5,000 years apart in time. First, 5,000 years after the soul splitting ceremony, Timaeus and Critias appeared in the civilization known as Atlantis, Timaeus representing Yu-Gi-Oh's honor, Critias representing Seto's chivalry. 5,000 years after that, during the age of Egypt, the Pharaoh Atem, a personification of Yu-Gi-Oh's leadership, and Priest Seto, personification of Prince Seto's loyalty, ruled. Five millennia after that, Yugi Muto, an example of Yu-Gi-Oh's compassion, and Seto Kaiba, Prince Seto's ingenuity, appeared. Finally, only a year ago, 5,000 years after Yugi and Kaiba, and 20,000 years since the fall of Yugoha, you two, Yuni Oha and Seto Ossius realized your potential. Yuni, you are the part of Yu-Gi-Oh that was his skill. Seto, you represent Prince Seto's strength. Now that all the fragments of souls have appeared, Ottiuk is making his final move. His grasp for power."

Seto asks skeptically. "Okay, so if what you claim is true, Yuni and I are only a fourth of a person, and yet you expect us to be able to defeat an ultimate evil that even our whole selves could not defeat. How is that supposed to work?"

Celestia takes over and explains, "That is why we are traveling to a temporal gate. We are going to recruit the other soul fragments. The souls were originally split to ensure that there would always be someone somewhere there to stop Ottiuk. Now that he is attempting to regain his power, we must reassemble the souls. Our goal is to travel back in time, back to the time of the sunken kingdom of Atlantis."

* * *

**Unnamed Planet**

Cosmo's ship has landed on a desert planet. The ship can be seen in the distance, the group stands before a massive machine. It is primarily composed of a massive ring structure, at least five stories tall. Cosmo says, "This is it, a temporal gate. It was this very gate that we used to send the fractions of souls that would become Timaeus and Critias to Atlantis. Its temporal coordinates should still be roughly were we want them." He turns to Yuni. "The machine should still be functional, but it will require a power up. Will you request that Chronos help us?"

Yuni nods. "I can do that." He reaches into his deck box and pulls out Chronos, the Temporal Lord. He holds it up towards the temporal gate and declares, "Chronos, we need your help! In order to restore Yugoha and defeat Ottiuk, we need your help. Please, use your power to reactivate the temporal gate!"

The roaring of Chronos can be heard. Its silhouette appears behind the ring, and a humming can be heard. The machine activates. A swirling vortex appears within the ring structure. Yuni puts away the card.

Celestia looks over a display on a control panel. She says, "Alright, everything seems to be in working order. These temporal coordinates should put us in Atlantis well before the War of Atlantis began, giving us plenty of room to work in."

Tori looks over the machine with awe. She says, "Wow…a real time machine…how does it work?"

Cosmo responds, "Sorry, but to know that would require a greater understanding of temporal mechanics than any human possesses."

Tori asks, "Do we have to worry about not changing anything? You know, like accidently changing history or something?"

Cosmo shakes his head. "No, these temporal gates are on a special setting. Assuming that we defeat Ottiuk, anything we changed in history should go back to the way it was before we made any changes." He beckons forward to everyone. "Come on, all we have to do is step through the vortex. Once we reach the other side, we'll be 15,000 years in the past."

Yuni nods. "Alright, let's do this." Yuni takes a few cautious steps forward. Once he's right in front of the gate he takes a deep breath, and then leaps forward. He disappears into the vortex. Once he's through, Seto follows, not making much of a big deal of it. Brutus and Tori come next, and Cosmo and Celestia bring up the rear.

On the other side of the gate, the group appears in what appears to be countryside. They are surrounded by farmland sporting fields of grain.

Tori looks around in awe. "Wow, this must be the farming district of Atlantis. Supposedly they used farming methods that even modern society has yet to rediscover. Some historians believe that they could have fed the entire population of Earth plus more, using only a fraction of the land we dedicate to farming."

Cosmo looks around and says to Celestia, "Brings back memories, doesn't it?"

Celestia nods. "It does."

Brutus has run over to the top of a nearby hill. He looks over it with shock and asks, "Um…guys…didn't you say we were coming here before any war started?"

Cosmo nods. "Yeah, the war of Atlantis shouldn't begin for another few years."

"Then you might want to see this…"

Everyone walks up the hill to join Brutus. They are shocked by what they see. From the vantage point of the hill, the futuristic capital city of Atlantis can be seen. It's in ruins. Parts of it have been completely destroyed, while other parts are smoldering and on fire. It seems like a battle took place there less than a day ago. Celestia says with shock, "This…is impossible…"

Cosmo asks, "Are you certain you got the temporal coordinates right?"

Celestia nods. "I triple checked. We should be in a time of peace, before the Orichalcos stones corrupted King Dartz."

Before they can contemplate this any further, a roar is heard behind them. They turn around to see three massive beasts approaching them. They are Orichalcos Soldiers. Cosmo shouts, "Out of the way!" Everyone manages to jump to the side right before the lead Orichalcos Soldier smashes his arm down where they were standing.

Yuni declares, "I don't know what's going on here, but I won't let you stop us!" He unleashes a beam of Chaos energy at the closest soldier. It seems to have no effect whatsoever. Yuni's eyes widen.

Cosmo and Celestia each attempt to use a light-based energy attack on another, but once again it is worthless.

Brutus asks with fear, "Guys, how we supposed to beat the giant monsters that can't be hurt?"

Yuni asserts, "We've just got to keep on trying!" He launches a disk of light and darkness at another soldier. It impacts the behemoth and explodes. Once again, nothing happens. The Orichalcos Soldiers lumber towards the group, who slowly back away.

Celestia cries, "There's nothing we can do! They're unstoppable!"

The lead soldier raises its arms, preparing to smash them down to attack. Just as it's about to, a voice from the distance declares, "Stop right there foul beasts!" The soldier swings its arm blade downwards, but is intercepted by a sword.

Everyone looks at the source of the sword with shock. It's an older man wearing battle armor. Yugi exclaims, _That's Ironheart, the former King of Atlantis and Dartz's father!_

Ironheart proclaims, "You will not hurt any more citizens of Atlantis, I swear that!"

Another voice, this one of a young girl, shouts, "Yeah, you tell them Grandpa! Let's help out, Skye!" A giant wolf runs in, and riding on it is a young girl. The wolf leaps at a soldier and knocks it over.

Yugi explains, _And that's Dartz's daughter, Chris!_

Yuni shouts to Cosmo and Celestia, "Come on, let's help them out!" Yuni, Cosmo, and Celestia use their powers to assist Ironheart and his sword, and Chris with her wolf, Skye. Their combined efforts manage to destroy the Orichalcos Soldiers. The monsters disappear.

With the creatures defeated, Ironheart turns his attention to Yuni and everyone else. He looks them over and says, "You dress in strange clothes, and were wandering the fields of Atlantis in open daylight. You are not from around here, are you?"

Yuni nods. "Yeah, let's go with that."

Cosmo steps forward and asks, "Sir, would you be as kind as to tell us what year it is?"

Ironheart looks at him oddly, as if it is an odd request. He says, "It has been 147 years since the discovery of the Orichalcos stones."

Tori's eyes widen. She exclaims, "The War of Atlantis didn't begin until 150 years after the discovery of the Orichalcos stones!"

Chris looks at her with confusion. "What do you mean? The war began a month ago. How would you know what's supposed to happen in three years?"

Cosmo shakes his head. "Something is wrong, something is very wrong."

Celestia steps forward. "Do you think you could tell us what happened here?" She beckons to the ruined city. "How did this all start?"

Ironheart hangs his head in shame. "It's my fault. During my long reign as King of Atlantis, I watched as we used the mystical properties of Orichalcos stones to build our civilization. I knew that it was a great power, but I never would have guessed the Orichalcos' true nature. When it came time for my son to take the throne, the evil power of the Orichalcos began to rear its head. It began to corrupt people, turn them into evil and monstrous versions of themselves. Worst of all, my son, Dartz, was corrupted in a different way. He believes that the corruption is not fault of the Orichalcos stone, but human nature itself."

Yugi says, _That's exactly how it happened before, only three years earlier._

Yuni asks, "Is there any significant event that led up to this?"

Ironheart thinks back. "Yes, there is. A few months ago, a stranger going by the name of Ottikus appeared in Atlantis. He claimed to have knowledge of the inner workings of the Orichalcos stones. He became an advisor to Dartz after showing him some of the hidden powers of the Orichalcos stone. It wasn't too long after that that the Orichalcos stones began corrupting the citizens of Atlantis. Ottikus was one of the only ones to stay on Dartz's side after he declared war on humanity."

Seto laughs. "Ottikus, as in Ottiuk? It would seem that our evil mastermind isn't that creative in coming up with aliases."

Cosmo nods in agreement. "Yes, it would seem that Ottiuk is somehow affecting the timeline. He is probably trying to interfere with our mission." Cosmo looks back to Ironheart and asks, "This is going to sound odd, and may be a lot to ask for a group of strangers, but we need your help. We are seeking the two Knights of Atlantis known as Timaeus and Critias. If we find them, I think we could put an end to this war."

Ironheart nods. "I know the men you speak of. They were Royal Knights of Atlantis, but I have not seen them for many years. Along with their comrade, Sir Hermos, they went on a quest into the Monster Spirit World in order to find a way to better protect Atlantis. Nobody has heard from them since."

Yuni says, "It's vital that we find those two. The fate of more than just Atlantis rests on us finding them."

Chris pipes up, "Grandpa, I think we should help them."

Ironheart nods. "It is unlike me to trust someone that I have just met, but we are in dire times." He nods again. "I will show you to the Spirit Portal. Follow me."

* * *

Ironheart and Chris have lead them into a cave. It is the same cave from which Ironheart called upon the Legendary Dragons in the original timeline. They all stand in front of the large carvings of the three knights in their dragon forms. Ironheart points to the carvings and says, "Those are the three Dragons of Legend, guardians of Atlantis. They are the purpose of the three knights' trip to the Spirit World."

Tori asks, "Wait, you mean those dragons aren't the knights?"

Ironheart looks at her curiously. "You say many strange things young woman. No, they are not the same. The dragons are ancient entities that watch over Atlantis, the knights are just normal people who have dedicated their lives to serving Atlantis. However, the knights did first venture into the Spirit World in order to borrow upon the power of the Dragons of Legend. Now, you wanted to meet the knights?" He points further down the cave. "This cave is a natural portal to the Monster Spirit World. Keep on walking down it, and you will find yourself there. Once you're in there, you are on your own. I would come with you, but I have a kingdom to save."

Yuni says, "Don't worry about it. You've helped us out more than enough. We can find our own way."

Ironheart nods. "Alright then, I wish you all the best of luck on your quest." He looks down to his granddaughter. "Now come on Chris, we have to get back to the battlefront."

She nods back. "Alright Grandpa, let's go." The two with their wolf turn around and leave.

Yuni says, "Alright then, I guess all we have to know is just walk down this tunnel."

Seto scoffs, "What are we waiting for? Let's get going." He walks forward. Everyone else follows.

After a little while of walking, a light becomes visible in the distance. Brutus exclaims, "There it is, the exit!" He runs towards it, everyone else follows.

They exit tunnel, and emerge in a whole different world. It is an odd place. The sky is white and bright with light. A thick mist enshrouds the land, but it seems to be a verdant land, covered in plants.

Tori says in awe, "Wow, I've always read about the Spirit World, but I never thought it would be this beautiful…"

Seto asks, "Alright, we're here. What are we supposed to do now? How do we find these knights?"

Cosmo says, "Unfortunately, Ironheart was unable to provide us with any location. We can assume that since this portal is the knights' link back to their home, they wouldn't go too far from it. I suggest we search the immediate area first."

Yuni shrugs. "Sounds good enough for me. Let's head out this way first." Yuni points forward.

They begin to explore the surrounding area. They search all around. They occasionally spot a Duel Monster spirit, but they quickly run away, startled by the humans. After a little while of searching, a roar is heard. Everyone looks to the left, the direction of the roar. On top of a nearby hill there is a giant monster. It's the Orichalcos Gigas.

Yuni cries, "Look out!" Everyone manages to leap out of the way right before the giant hurls a massive boulder at them.

Celestia exclaims, "It looks like Dartz has declared war on the Spirit World too!"

The monster charges at them, raising its fists. It slams them down at Yuni, who just barely manages to dodge. Yuni attempts to counter with another Chaos beam. The beam destroys the monster. However, it quickly reappears, looking stronger than before.

Yugi warns, _Whenever the Orichalcos Gigas is destroyed, it comes back with double the power! You have to be more careful than that!_

Yuni relays the warning, "Destroying it only makes it more powerful!"

Seto asks critically, "How are we supposed to fight something that we can't destroy?"

The Orichalcos Gigas roars and suddenly two more appear over the hill. Brutus complains, "Great, now it's calling for its friends!" The two new monsters storm down and join the original in its attack. All that Yuni and everyone else can do is dodge the attacks.

Tori shouts, "Yuni, I don't know how much longer I can keep this up! We need to do something!"

Yuni is clueless. "I don't know Tori, I honestly don't know!"

Tori shouts, "Somebody help!"

Just then, a voice answers Tori's call for help. A familiar voice declares, "Wherever there is someone in need, we shalt be there to assist! Back ye foul beasts, for the Knights of Atlantis hath arrived!" On top of the hill, three figures appear. They each draw a sword, point them towards the sky, and cross blades. It's Timaeus, Critias, and Hermos.


	8. Episode 115: Waking the Dragons

Episode 115: Waking the Dragons

**Duel Monster Spirit World, 15,000 Years Ago**

Yuni, Seto, Brutus, Tori, Cosmo, and Celestia are being attacked by the monstrous Orichalcos Gigas. From the top of a nearby hill, Timaeus declares, "Wherever there is someone in need, we shalt be there to assist! Back ye foul beasts, for the Knights of Atlantis hath arrived!" He, along with Critias and Hermos, draw their swords and prepare to attack.

Critias leaps forward first and declares, "Taste the steel of my blade thou vile creature!" Hermos comes in right after him. The two of them swing their swords towards the monsters, causing them to back off slightly.

Timaeus holds his sword towards the sky and declares, "Banisher of the Light, lend me thy power!" The monster spirit of Banisher of the Light appears above Timaeus. The spirit shines a light down on Timaeus, who absorbs it through his blade. Timaeus then declares, "Now is the time, attack knights!"

Hermos declares, "It shalt be my pleasure!" Timaeus leaps forward, and then together with Critias and Hermos, the three knights each slash at an Orichalcos Gigas, destroying all three. Thanks to Timaeus' borrowed power, they do not come back.

The knights walk over to the group. Timaeus is about to say something when the three knights manage to get a good look at Yuni and everyone else. Timaeus takes a step closer to Yuni, and Critias towards Seto. Critias declares, "What form of sorcery is this!? Is this a vision?"

Seto chuckles. "Trust me, I'm wondering the same thing right now."

Timaeus asks, "How is this possible?"

Yuni states, "I'm sorry, but we really can't explain it yet, at least not in a way you would understand."

Timaeus shakes his head in disbelief. "Doth there be any explanation thou could provide?"

Yuni shakes his head. "Sorry, no. At least not yet."

Critias is about to say something when he notices Celestia standing off to the side. He approaches her and asks, "And what brings so fair a maiden as thee to these parts?"

Celestia giggles and smiles slightly, apparently pleased by this attention. Seto gives Critias a glare, but stops quickly.

Timaeus reiterates, "Yes, it is unexpected to see others in the realm of spirits. Pray tell, what hast brought thou here?"

Yuni explains, "We have come seeking your help. Both Atlantis and the place we come from are in grave danger from a common threat. We need your help."

Hermos steps forth and says, "As the Royal Knights of Atlantis, we wilt always help Atlantis. What is the problem?"

Tori asks, "Do you not receive any news from Atlantis?"

Critias, who has been looking over Celestia, returns his attention to everyone else and explains, "Unfortunately, in the Spirit World we are completely cut off from our home. We hath not heard from them since our arrival here."

Cosmo then says, "I am sorry to be the one to break this to you, but Atlantis is at war. Your king, Dartz, has become corrupted by the Orichalcos stones, and has set off on a crusade to destroy all of humanity. Ironheart lead us here, after saving us from an attack by Dartz."

The three knights think it over. Timaeus says regretfully, "I always knew that the Orichalcos stones were of no good."

Yuni asks, "So can you help us?"

The three knights look to each other. Hermos jokes, "I think these are faces we can trust. Not to mention that they know Ironheart." Timaeus and Critias nod.

The three turn back and Timaeus says, "We shalt assist thee, but first, there is something of the utmost importance that we must do."

Cosmo asks, "What's that?"

"We must wake the Dragons."

* * *

The group has been led by the knights to mountainous area of the Spirit World. Critias has dropped back to walk next to Celestia. Tori asks, "So these dragons you're talking about, they're the Legendary Dragons of Atlantis?"

Hermos nods. "Yes, the same ones spoken of in legend."

Yuni asks, "These dragons, what makes them so important?"

Timaeus responds, "Their origin is a mystery, but they hath always been there to help Atlantis when it is in need."

Critias continues, "Their power is astronomical, they are practically gods."

Celestia asks, "If they help whenever Atlantis is endangered, why haven't they appeared to end this war yet?"

Critias nods. "A fine question milady. That is the reason for this quest. We must recruit the help of the Legendary Dragons if possible."

Tori asks, "Ironheart said that you first came here seeking the Dragons of Legend. Why?"

Timaeus answers, "Yes, we came hither to study under the Dragons. The ability you witnessed me use earlier, when I borrowed upon the power of a monster spirit, was a technique taught to me by the Legendary Dragon known as Plato."

Critias adds, "I hast been taught by Socrates."

Hermos states, "And my teacher has been Aristotle."

Timaeus then says, "We hast been away from the Dragons for some time now, on a special training quest." He beckons forward. "Now come hither, the Den of the Dragons is just ahead." Timaeus steps up to the top of a ridge. He suddenly stops.

Hermos asks, "What is the matter Timaeus?" He too steps up and stops upon seeing over the ridge.

Everyone else catches up and looks over too. Below them, in a valley between the nearby mountains, what seems to be a military encampment has been set up. Marching back and forth across the camp are many Orichalcos Gigas. There are also several Orichalcos Malevolence and Mirror Knight Callings, as well as the massive Orichalcos Shunoros in the center of the camp.

Critias shouts with anger, "Those monsters, they hast defiled the sacred Den of the Dragons! How is this possible!?"

Yugi explains, _Those are all monsters that Dartz used in his duel with Atem._

Yuni responds, _If that's the case, then that's not a good sign._

Timaeus quickly asserts, "Everyone, down, now!" Everyone ducks behind a boulder. Down in the valley, an Orichalcos Gigas looks up to where they stood just a moment ago.

Hermos observes, "They must hath attacked the Dragons and somehow trapped them, that's why the Dragons have yet to appear to help Atlantis."

Brutus exclaims, "Alright, what are we waiting for? Let's go destroy that camp and see if we can help the Dragons!"

Brutus is about to leap up, when Timaeus puts a hand on his shoulder and stops him. He says, "As much as this angers me to see, we mustn't go running into a situation we hath yet to assess."

Seto is peering over the boulder. He says, "I count a total of 40 monsters in sight, and that's counting the giant statue. We have the advantage of surprise, and the high ground. We might have a chance if we plan this right."

Critias, who is looking over as well, nods. "I concur with the one who shares my face. A sound strategy should allow us to defeat them."

Both Yuni and Timaeus object at the same time, "No, a frontal assault is not the answer."

The two look at each other. Yuni then explains, "There's just too many of them. Even with the element of surprise, we can't fight them all off."

Timaeus nods. "Yes, I suggest that we proceed forward by sneaking in. We can't help the Dragons if we're captured first. It would be better to go about this more safely."

Hermos then states, "I agree with Timaeus and his doppelgänger. Stealth seems like the smarter option now."

Critias nods. "Then I am outvoted. We shalt do it your way." Seto seems to resent this, but doesn't say anything about it.

* * *

The knights, Yuni, and Seto have snuck down to the camp. Everyone else remained back up on top of the cliff to keep the infiltration group smaller and to keep watch. The infiltration party is hiding behind a boulder on the perimeter of the camp. Timaeus asks in a whisper, "Are thou certain thou can fight with no armor nor swords?"

Yuni nods. "We can hold our own." He points to his Duel Gauntlet. "These devices allow us to call upon monster spirits to help us fight."

Critias raises a brow. "I have never seen such a device in such a compact form. Alright, let us move out."

Hermos suggests, "I say we should check the cave first." Everyone else nods in agreement.

They peek over the boulder. An Orichalcos Gigas is marching by on patrol. Once it has passed, the five make a dash for it. They manage to run from their rock to the nearby cave entrance without being noticed. From the inside, the cave is dimly lit, but seems less like a cave, and more like a temple. It is completely empty.

Timaeus whispers, "Tread cautiously, not only art thou treading in enemy territory, but also sacred grounds." Yuni and Seto nod. The group moves forward, travelling deeper into the cave.

After walking for a little while, Seto notices something in the distance. He points forward and says, "Look, what's that?" He's pointing towards a large structure up ahead.

Critias says, "That is not normally there." He runs towards it. Everyone else follows.

As they get closer, it becomes evident that it's a cage. Inside it are three large dragons. They look the same as the dragon forms of the Knights of Atlantis. Hermos exclaims, "Socrates, Plato, Aristotle! What happened to you?"

A booming voice that seems to speak telepathically, directly into each of their heads, responds, _Timaeus, Critias, Hermos, you must get out of here now! It is not safe here!_

Timaeus addresses the one that looks like his own dragon form, "Plato, how were thou captured?

The same voice that just spoke asserts, _There is a power at work here greater than you could imagine! Escape now while you still can!_

Critias steps forward and says, "We cannot leave here without you three." He looks to the one that looks like his dragon form. "Right Socrates?"

Another voice responds, _Wrong, there is a power here that was able to defeat us. You must escape while you still can._

Hermos addresses his dragon, "Aristotle, thou know that we can take on any challenge that comes our way."

A third voice replies, _Not this one. Now leave._

Timaeus reluctantly concedes and says, "So be it. We shalt obey your wishes."

They begin to turn around, when a voice suddenly asks menacingly, "Leaving ssssso ssssssoon?" The voice is quiet and malevolent. It sounds like a hiss.

The knights look around for the source of the voice. Plato says with despair, _No…_

In front of them, a vortex opens up. It is a swirling mass of red and shadows. Out of the vortex, a massive snake head emerges. Everyone gasps.

Yugi tells Yuni, _That monster…it's the Divine Serpent Geh, Dartz's ultimate monster…_

Fearing the answer, Yuni asks, _The same one that had infinite Attack Points…?_

_The same one…_

The serpent hisses, "How nicccccce of you to come right to me. Onccccccce I destroy you, there will be no one to sssstand in the way of the Orichalcossssss' domincccce over Earth."

The knights draw their swords, and Yuni and Seto prepare to pull a card out of their deck boxes. Timaeus declares, "We shalt not yield to an evil entity such as thyself! We are the Knights of Atlantis, and we shalt defeat thee!"

Hermos makes the first move. He leaps up into the air, preparing to bring his sword down on the monster. Timaeus and Critias run towards it as well, one from the left and one from the right. The three all slash their swords at the same time, but the swords bounce off of the seprent's scaled body, causing no damage. The monster hisses loudly and then whips its head, knocking back the knights.

Yuni and Seto look to each other and nod. They both pull out a card. Yuni declares, "Cyber-Tech Magician, I need your assistance!"

Seto proclaims, "Come to me, Cosmic Plasma Dragon!" The two monsters appear, ready for battle. Seto commands, "Plasma Stream of Destruction!"

Yuni commands, "Cyber Magic Attack!" The two monsters release their most powerful attacks in an attempt to defeat the Divine Serpent. The two clouds explode, leaving behind a cloud of smoke.

Seto says, "That has to have destroyed it!" The smoke clears, and proves Seto wrong.

Hermos, struggling to recover, says with disbelief, "That spirit…I've never seen something that powerful!"

The serpent declares, "It would only take a mere fraction of my power to dessssstroy you! Now burn!" The monster attacks with a fiery beam of energy from its mouth aimed at the still recovering knights.

Yuni leaps in front of them and generates a dome-shaped barrier of light and darkness around them, which intercepts the attack. He struggles to keep the barrier up as the onslaught continues. He says with discomfort, "I'm…not sure…how much longer…I can keep this up for…" A crack appears on the shield. And then another, and another. The cracks slowly grow larger, and more appear and spread. Yuni groans under the strain.

At the same time, Plato shouts, _Timaeus! _Socrates shouts, _Critias! _and Aristotle shouts, _Hermos!_

Within the blink of an eye, Yuni's shield cracks, there is a loud blasting noise from the cage, and an explosion caused by the serpent's attack hitting its target. The serpent laughs, but then the smoke from the explosion clears. The three dragons have intercepted the attack and protected Yuni and the knights.

Plato declares, _You may have defeated us before, but you will not again!_

Aristotle looks back and says, _You rest, we'll handle this._

Socrates roars, _We will destroy you!_

The three dragons fly up above the serpent. Each attacks with a beam of energy colored the same color as their respective scales. All three beams hit the head of the serpent. The monster recoils, but seems mostly unharmed.

Geh declares, "Foolissssh dragons, I am an incarnate of the power of Orichalcosssss! You cannot dessssstroy me!" Geh attacks with another beam of fiery energy, sending it up into the air at the dragons circling above. The three dragons manage to dodge the attack. Another beam is sent towards them. The three dragons combine their beams together into one. The two attacks collide midrange. It is now a tug-of-war as the two sides attempt to overpower each other.

Timaeus gets up and declares, "Now Knights of Atlantis, help the Dragons, attack the demon!" The other two get up and raise their blades. They charge.

Yuni looks to Cyber-Tech Magician. "Let's go for another Cyber Magic Attack!"

Seto commands of his dragon, "Plasma Stream of Destruction, one more time!"

The three knights slash at Geh, as Yuni and Seto's monsters' attack also make contact. The combined forces of the attack cause the serpent to flinch, and thus lose concentration just long enough for the dragons to overpower its attack. Their combined attack now also makes contact.

There's a massive roar. Suddenly, from within the resulting cloud of smoke, the tail of Geh whips out and knocks back the knights, Yuni, Seto, and their monsters. They all slam against a wall. Geh hisses, "Not enough! My ssssstrength isss too great!" It then looks up towards the weaving dragons above, but then turns to the knights and releases another attack, this one stronger with Geh's rage. The knights go wide-eyed with shock as they realize what is happening.

Plato shouts, _No!_ The dragons dive down in front of the knights. They attempt to counter the attack, but can't do it in time. The attack hits all three.

Now the knights all shout, "No!" The bodies of the Dragons of Legend fall to the ground in front of the knights. Each knight runs to his corresponding dragon.

Geh declares, "Even the mighty Dragonssssss of Legend fall againssssst the power of Orichalcossssssss!"

Plato says to Timaeus, _It is now up to you brave knights. The fate of Atlantis rests in your hands. Embrace your destiny. _With that, Plato and the other dragons go limp.

Each knight looks up to the serpent, each full of extreme rage. Timaeus declares, "This isn't the end! As long as we live, we shalt fight!"

Critias adds, "The Knights of Atlantis will always stop those who threaten it!"

Hermos concludes, "And that means we shalt defeat thee!"

Above them, something begins to manifest. It's a Duel Monsters card. Yuni gasps. "It's Another Hope…"

Yugi suggests, _The sheer power of their determination is calling upon Yu-Gi-Oh and Seto's magic!_

A glow emerges from the card and shines down onto the knights and the fallen dragons. The bodies of the dragons begin to glow. They are then converted into energy and absorbed into the bodies of their respective knight. There is now an intense glow, obscuring them.

Geh demands, "What isssss thisssss!? What issss happening!?" Geh attacks into the light with another beam. The attack is deflected into a nearby wall by an unseen force.

The light begins to subside. Standing now are the three knights, however they now glow their respective colors, Timaeus green, Critias blue, and Hermos red. Their armor has changed as well, as they now have many flares, spikes, and design elements causing them to resemble the dragon they absorbed. Each holds a glowing sword towards the roof. Timaeus declares, "The Dragons of Legend hath been reborn! The Knights of Atlantis hath gained new power!" Timaeus points his sword at the Cyber-Tech Magician. "Fuse with me and lend me thy power!" Cyber-Tech Magician is converted into energy and absorbed into Timaeus' sword, and then into his body. His armor changes again, now taking inspiration from the Cyber-Tech Magician's armor. His sword transforms into a staff with a blade on its edge.

Hermos points his sword at the Cosmic Plasma Dragon. "Dragon, augment my blade with thy power!" Just as the magician was, Cosmic Plasma Dragon is absorbed by the sword. This time it only transforms the sword, creating a blade of flaming, blue plasma. "Form the Plasma Dragon Sword!"

Critias now points his sword towards Seto's deck box. "I'll need to borrow one of thy cards!" A card floats out of the box, it's Seto's Trap Card, Plasma Flare. Critias absorbs it and becomes cloaked in an armor of plasma.

Geh demands again, "What issss thissss!?"

Timaeus declares, "This is thy destruction!" Timaeus makes the first move and runs towards Geh, he is quickly followed by his comrades. Geh attempts to destroy them with another beam, but Timaeus swats it away with his blade-staff. He then raises the staff and charges dark magical energy around its blade. He leaps up, lands on Geh's forehead, and stabs the blade end down into it. Hermos than runs up underneath its chin and stabs his plasma sword straight up. Finally, Critias jumps up, putting him on eye level with Geh, and unleashes a massive flare of plasma from his body. The dark energy from Timaeus' blade-staff explodes, and Hermos' sword flares up. The three attacks all combine power and completely destroy Geh. His body shatters away as if made by glass, and the vortex he emerged from closes.

Yuni and Seto have just been watching, speechless.

* * *

Out in the encampment, an Orichalcos Gigas is sent flying, and then destroyed. Timaeus seems to have done it. The three knights, still augmented by Yuni and Seto's cards, are attacking the encampment, destroying each and every monster. Most, including the Orichalcos Shunoros, have already been destroyed, with the Shunoros a heap of smoldering ruins. The three knights launch one combined attack on an Orichalcos Malevolence, and thus destroy the last monster of the camp.

Yuni and Seto step out of the cave, looking at the knights' work in disbelief. Tori, Brutus, Cosmo, and Celestia come running down a nearby hill. Brutus shouts, "Whoa, that was amazing! What happened!?"

The knights each separate from the card they merged with, leaving them in their dragon-inspired forms. The two monsters look to their masters and then disappear, and Plasma Flare returns to Seto's deck. The knights then sheath their swords and return to their normal armor. Timaeus declares, "The Dragons of Legend may have fallen today, but they live on, within us. With this newfound power, we shalt stop Dartz and destroy the evil power that is Orichalcos!"


	9. Episode 116: The Battle of Atlantis

Episode 116: The Battle of Atlantis

**Atlantis, 15,000 Years Ago**

Dartz, dressed in his King of Atlantis garb, overlooks the capital city of Atlantis from a balcony on his castle. The city below him is in ruins, and much of it is still on fire from the recent battle. Orichalcos Soldiers march the streets. There's not a single person in sight. Dartz sighs. "My beautiful kingdom, it's in ruins."

A voice from behind him says, "Do not lose sight of what is important my king. You are doing this all for the right reasons." A man steps up from behind Dartz. The man is Otto. He wears long white robes, appropriate to the time period. Around his neck is a necklace, with an Orichalcos stone pendant. He then says, "Do not forget what happened to your wife."

Dartz remembers the horrid event when the Orichalcos stone transformed his wife, Iona, in to a hideous and monstrous beast, this having apparently happened at an earlier time in this timeline. Dartz nods. "Yes Ottikus, I remember what happened. It would be impossible for me to forget. Humanity must pay for its sins, the world must be reborn."

Otto nods. "Yes, and it can only be reborn through fire. Like the phoenix, this world will come back, more pure and sacred than before."

Dartz nods again. He then states, "You claim to have advanced knowledge of events yet to come. Can you not just tell me the key to winning this war and defeating my traitorous father now, without inflicting further harm upon my kingdom?"

Otto shakes his head. "I have already explained this. I cannot risk to change the timeline at a whim. Everything must proceed according to a specific plan." Otto now steps forward and stands next to Dartz. "However, there is one piece of information I can reveal now. The Orichalcos stone has just alerted me that your attempt to capture the Dragons of Legend and destroy the Knights of Atlantis has failed. Not only have you failed, but you created the situation that I warned you to avoid. The knights have fused their bodies and souls with the souls of the Dragons of Legend. Now with the knights' ability to channel the power of the Dragons, they are more powerful than either were alone. This is exactly what I warned you not to let happen, for it will be your undoing."

Dartz nods. "Since you warned me of the possibility, I've been planning for contingencies." He holds an arm up to the sky, and a bolt of lightning strikes his hand. The bolt leaves behind a glowing sword in Dartz's hand. "Behold, the Sword of Kings. This mighty blade was forged by the gods themselves. I can use this blade to seal the knights' power. First, I will trap them in the body of the Dragons, which will disrupt their ability to channel their power, weakening them. Then, once in that form, I can further utilize the sword to seal them away in crystal. They will never bother us, or interfere with our plans again."

Otto suddenly stomps his foot and declares angrily, "No! It is that kind of short-sighted thinking that caused you to fail originally. Yes, you do solve the immediate problem, but the knights still exist. They are able to and will come back, in a future time, and find chosen ones to unseal them. It is then that their power that defeats you. We need a solution that will destroy the knights once and for all!"

Dartz looks to him and asks, "Fine. What is this solution?"

Otto grins devilishly. "Fortunately for you, the Orichalcos, in all of its power and glory, has provided the answer."

* * *

Ironheart, Chris, and Skye walk into the cave that is the entrance to the Monster Spirit World. Chris asks, "What are we going to do Grandpa?"

Ironheart responds, "Your father is under the control of an evil force, and he must be stopped. The future of our planet depends on it. Through there, hurry." Chris runs forward, Ironheart follows.

They make it into the main chamber. Chris observes, "Those are Monster Spirits carved in stone. Why are we back here?"

Ironheart answers, "We have come here to ask for their help." He steps forward, up to the stone tablets of the Dragons of Legend. He declares, "Great Dragons of Legend, guardians of Atlantis, we have come here to humbly request your help. Atlantis has all but fallen to great evil known as Orichalcos, and we of Atlantis have been thrown into exile. We fight to regain what was ours, and to restore the glory of Atlantis, but as the battle rages on, we lose hope. With every day the outlook of Atlantis seems more and more bleak. That is why we come here, to this sacred temple, and request your help." Ironheart and Chris kneel. "So please, lend us your aid. You are Atlantis' last hope."

With that, the three tablets begin to glow. Out of each tablet, a beam of light emerges, one red, one blue, and one green. These beams reach up into the sky, through a hole in the roof. In each beam, a dragon materializes. It's Timaeus, Critias, and Hermos in their dragon forms. The dragons roar and then the beams of light fade. The three dragons then fly back down and land in front of Ironheart and Chris. Upon landing, they transform back into knights.

This shocks Ironheart and Chris. Ironheart exclaims, "Sir Timaeus, Sir Critias, Sir Hermos! How is this possible?"

Critias responds regretfully, "The Dragons of Legend hath fallen. Dartz hast attacked the Spirit World."

Timaeus adds, "However, the Dragons granted us their power, and now they live on within us."

Hermos finishes, "Now we hold the power of the Dragons of Legend, and we shalt protect Atlantis as well."

Then Yuni shouts, "And don't forget us, we'll help too!" From down the cave, Yuni, Seto, and everybody else run in.

Cosmo declares, "Something is gravely wrong here, and we cannot allow it to continue."

Ironheart nods pleased. "I am glad your quest for the knights was successful." He looks back to the knights. "With you on our side, we will be able to turn the tides on Dartz and take back Atlantis."

Seto laughs, and then scoffs, "I hope that means you have an army, because Dartz sure does."

Ironheart hangs his head in shame. "No. Regretfully, the Royal Army of Atlantis has fallen against Dartz's Orichalcos army. Chris, Skye, and I are all that remains. That is why we came here to seek assistance."

Timaeus raises his sword to the sky and declares, "If it is an army that thou needs, it is an army thou shalt receive! Monsters of the Spirit World, I call upon thee!" A golden beam of light emerges from the sword, and arcs out over the hole in the roof. Timaeus then says, "Look outside."

Everyone exits the cave. From their vantage point towards the top of a mountain, a valley can be seen below. That valley is full of Dragon Monster Spirits. Ironheart looks over the army with great surprise. "It's…it's massive."

Critias responds, "Thou art gazing upon the Monster Army. They answer to the Dragons of Legends, and now us."

Hermos adds, "As long as we fight with thou, so shalt they."

Yuni nudges Seto, "There's your army Seto, are you willing to fight now?"

Seto doesn't respond, he just continues to look at the army with surprise.

* * *

The knights and Ironheart along with everyone else have gone down into the valley. Preparations for the coming battle have commenced. The various dragon spirits seem to be conducting drills. Ironheart is overseeing this all. Off to the side, Yuni, Seto, Tori, Brutus, Cosmo, and Celestia are gathered. Seto asks Cosmo, "So why are we sticking around here? I thought our goal was to find Timaeus and Critias. We found them, so let's get back to the present. This isn't our battle."

Cosmo shakes his head. "No, this is our battle. Ottiuk has somehow managed to use his powers to send himself back in time, and in the process has damaged the timeline. The good news is, by the very nature of Ottiuk, he is omnipotent. He exists in all time at all time. Normally, he cannot alter the events of time, but obviously he has found a way to do so."

Brutus, sounding a little confused, asks, "I may not be the most knowledgeable when it comes to this time travel stuff, but how is that good news?"

Cosmo responds, "Because he only exists here because of his omnipotence, that means if we can defeat him in the present, all of his effects on the past will completely disappear, returning to the natural state of things."

Tori asks, "Then that brings us back to Seto's question, why don't we get moving, so we can defeat him in the present?"

"That's because until we do defeat him, anything he changes here will change the present. Whatever changes he makes, we can be certain of one thing: it will make it that much harder to defeat him in the present."

Yuni nods in agreement. He then looks to Seto and adds, "Besides Seto, this is our fight. It directly involves Ottiuk, meaning that it was destined to be our fight."

Seto scoffs, but gives no response.

As the discussion finishes, the Knights of Atlantis make their way over. Timaeus asks, "Art thou certain that thou wants to participate in the coming battle?"

Yuni nods. "Yes. We'll do whatever we can to help."

Critias walks towards Celestia and asks, "And pray tell, what of thee? Art thou sure that thou wants to fight? The battlefield is no place for a maiden such as thyself, especially one as gorgeous as thee."

Celestia giggles. She is about to respond when Seto stomps up and states, "I don't know about you, but where I come from, you treat women as women, not objects to be protected."

Critias responds with a slightly agitated voice, "I abide by a code of chivalry, something thou seems to have no comprehension of." The two have an angered stare off.

Celestia, who seemed to be enjoying the attention for a moment, then decides otherwise, and splits the two up, saying, "Boys, boys, stop this silly fight." She looks to Critias. "Yes, I am sure that I will join the battle." She looks to Seto, "But it is still nice of him to be thinking about me."

Both look to each other angrily, but then to Celestia, and then stop. Looking to break the awkward silence, Hermos says, "Anyways…in order to thank thee for all of thy help in the Spirit World, we present thee with a gift."

Timaeus had brought in a chest. He opens it up. Inside are six sets of armor. Timaeus explains, "It would be unwise to go into battle without the necessary armor. However, this is special armor. From what thou hast explained to us, thy spirit summoning devices will only summon phantoms when used in the normal world. Without a greater connection to the Spirit World, thy fighting ability shalt be hindered. That is where this armor comes in. It is forged from a special metal, found only in the Spirit World. Now this armor, in tandem with thy monster summoning machines, should allow thee to call upon the assistance of monster spirits."

Yuni looks into the chest, and then back up at Timaeus. He says, "Thank you Timaeus, this means a lot to us. I'm sure it will be a lot of help."

Hermos steps forward and says, "Nay, it should be us who is thanking thee. Thy help will certainly be appreciated."

Then, Ironheart steps up to the top of a nearby boulder and announces, "Attention monster spirits!" Everyone looks towards him. "I want you all to know that I have the utmost respect for all of you, and it means so much that you are all willing to fight for Atlantis. But then again, maybe I shouldn't be surprised. Atlantis has never been home of only humans. Atlantis is just as much my home as it yours, and it is because of that that it makes me so happy that we can work together to take back our home from the evil forces that corrupt it. Now, the time of battle is at hand, join me as we make this upcoming battle the final one in the War of Atlantis!"

The army of monsters cheer by roaring. Timaeus, Critias, and Hermos join Ironheart. Timaeus declares, "Now, in the name of Plato, Socrates, Aristotle, and all else who Dartz has destroyed, we march forth into battle!" The knights raise their swords. There's more cheering.

* * *

Otto seems to be meditating. His Orichalcos stone flashes, and then he suddenly opens his eyes. He gets up and marches into the next room, where Dartz is sitting in his throne. Dartz asks, "What is the problem Ottikus?"

"Orichalcos has just shown me a vision. Your father marches towards us now."

Dartz laughs. "That is a foolish mistake. He has no army left to fight with. What could he possibly seek to accomplish by coming here?"

"You're arrogance is misplaced. He has joined up with the Knights of Atlantis, and has amassed an army of monster spirits. Not only that, but a possibly even more threatening ally has been made. He has joined forces with a group of time travelers from the future. They are the very reason I came here."

Dartz is displeased. "That is not good news." He gets up and looks out his balcony window. "But it does not matter. With the power of the Orichalcos, we cannot be defeated. My foolish father will fall, and the last threat against our grand crusade will be eliminated once and for all. Call in the Orichalcos Soldiers!"

* * *

The army of dragon spirits is marching and flying forward. In the front is Ironheart, Chris, and Skye. Right behind them is the Knights of Atlantis, and then Yuni and everyone else, wearing their armor. They are marching through the Atlantean countryside, seemingly the same place where the group first appeared from the future. Ironheart stops, and the entire army comes to a halt. Ironheart proclaims, "Just over this next hill is the capital city of Atlantis! Now we march forward to reclaim what is ours! Spirits, charge!"

The army begins to move forward. Timaeus, Critias, and Hermos all declare at once, "Activate Dragon Force!" Their armor begins to glow and surge with power just as before. The armor transforms, becoming reminiscent of the Dragons of Legend.

Timaeus points his sword at a nearby White-Horned Dragon and declares, "Thou, White-Horned Dragon, lend me thy power!" Through his sword, Timaeus absorbs the dragon. He begins to take on the features of that dragon. Out of his back, the wings of the dragon grow. Parts of his armor become black and red to reflect the dragon's color scheme, and a massive white horn grows out of the top of his helmet.

Hermos turns towards a Felgrand Dragon and declares, "Merge with my blade to form the Felgrand Sword!" Hermos absorbs the dragons into his sword, and transforms it. The sword is now gold and black, and glows. Sparkles of light fall from it.

Finally, Critias declares, "And I absorb the power of Burst Breath!" Critias holds his blade towards the sky, and absorbs some form of energy that manifests itself above him. Now his armor lights on fire, as does his blade. He then declares, "Now, let us take back Atlantis!"

The knights move forward. Yuni, Seto, Brutus, Tori, Cosmo, and Celestia follow. Once over the ridge, they get a look at the city. The battle has already begun. An army of Orichalcos Soldiers is waiting in the streets of the city. The front lines of each army has already engaged. Hermos shouts, "The Orichalcos army was already prepared! Dartz knew we were coming!"

From nearby, Ironheart asks, "How is that possible!? We only assembled this army mere hours ago!"

Timaeus responds, "The Orichalcos hast given Dartz advanced knowledge of our attack! We have already committed to the attack, there is nothing we can do but push forward and fight!"

Critias grins. "I'm glad thou agree with me." He leaps into the air and begins to hover over the city. He points his flaming sword at a group of Orichalcos Soldiers. He then unleashes a massive stream of fiery energy, which incinerates the Soldiers.

Hermos then charges next. He runs into the front line, and begins to slash through Orichalcos Soldiers left and right. When one Soldier destroys a nearby Luster Dragon, Hermos holds up his blade and declares, "Felgrand Sword, revive those who have fallen!" The sword emits a golden light, and the Luster Dragon, along with a Hunter Dragon and Crawling Dragon that fell earlier are revived. The dragon spirits then go right back into battle, as does Hermos.

Critias moves in last. Using his borrowed wings, he flies out into the battle. He dives down, taking slashes at the Orichalcos Soldiers, and then flies back up. From the air, he then releases a beam of energy from his horn, which destroys multiple Orichalcos Soldiers. He continues this, taking on as many Soldiers as he can.

Yugi asks Yuni, _Are you ready for this?_

Yuni nods. _Ottiuk has already destroyed Earth in the present. I won't allow him to succeed in the past. _Yuni activates his Duel Gauntlet. So does Seto, Brutus, Tori, Cosmo, and Celestia. With the activation of the Gauntlet, the armor seems to responds by slightly glowing. Yuni pulls several cards out of his deck and declares, "I summon the Cyber-Tech Magician, Cyber-Tech Enforcer, and Cyber-Tech Illumi-Dragon!" The armor responds and the three monster spirits of Yuni's cards appear.

Seto declares, "I summon the Cosmic Plasma Dragon and the Plasma Wyvern!"

Brutus shouts, "I summon Brutal Massive Dragon, Goblin Attack Force, and the Giant Orc!"

Tori adds, "I summon Megalithic Pyramidal, Megalithic Stonehenge Golem, and Megalithic Serpent Mound Dragon!"

Cosmo proclaims, "Assist me, Celestial Archlord of Genesis!"

And Celestia finishes it off with, "Come to me, Celestial Grace – Princess of the Cosmos!"

All of the summoned monster spirits appear. The duelists all run into the battle, monster spirits following. They each split off in a different direction, preparing to fight in a different section of the city. Yuni is the first to make contact with the enemy. The Cyber-Tech Enforcer swings its hammer, and smash several Orichalcos Soldiers. Another is about to attack it from behind, but the Cyber-Tech Magician manages to protect it by casting a spell to destroy it. From above the Illumi-Dragon attacks with beams of light. Yuni even joins in the fight himself by attacking with Chaos beams of energy.

Seto's two Plasma dragons have teamed up, and are attacking with combined attacks of fiery plasma. Seto commands them from atop the Cosmic Plasma Dragon.

Tori has taken a position on top of a building, and is commanding her massive monsters from there. The three golems stomp around the battlefield, destroying all in their path.

Brutus is actually battling alongside his monsters. He seems to have borrowed a club from one of the members of his Goblin Attack Force. Together with them, and his other two monsters, they overwhelm and overpower an Orichalcos Soldier that crosses their path.

Cosmo, Celestia, and their monsters have joined forces. Using a combination of their powers, the four manage to fight back the enemy.

Elsewhere on the battleground, the three knights have been cornered by a massive force of Orichalcos Soldiers. Critias grins. "How cute, they actually think that they hath the power to defeat us."

Hermos asks, "Shalt we prove them wrong?"

Timaeus responds, "Show them no mercy!"

The three all move to attack at the same time. First Critias knocks them off guard by unleashing the Burst Breath from his sword. Once this has happened, Hermos leaps forward and slashes at the nearest Soldiers, destroying them. The remaining Orichalcos Soldiers take a step back. At that moment. Timaeus releases an energy beam from his horn, and then leaps at them, slashing with his sword. The knights have destroyed all the surrounding Orichalcos Soldiers.

From the roof of a nearby building, Ironheart oversees the battle. Chris says excitedly, "Grandpa, we're winning!"

Ironheart nods. "Yes, it would seem that the Spirit Army is strong enough to fight off Dartz's manifestations of evil." He looks towards the knights, who have now moved on to fighting another mass of Orichalcos Soldiers. "And the new power of the Knights of Atlantis is greater than I ever could have imagined. We may yet win this fight. For the first time in months, I feel hope."

As if to respond to him, across the city, in the Castle of Atlantis, Dartz steps out onto his balcony. Using a mystical technique, he amplifies his voice so that it can be heard across the entire city. He declares, "Monster spirits, you fight for a lost cause! Humanity is doomed, and must be destroyed! Surrender now, or face destruction!"

Timaeus shouts, "We shalt never surrender Dartz! We fight to destroy the evil that hast infiltrated thee!"

"It is not I who has been corrupted by evil, but suit yourself. I give you one last warning, surrender now or face complete destruction!" He raises his arms towards the sky, and storm clouds cover the sky, making it as dark as night. Once the clouds have come in, an aurora appears in the sky.

Ironheart demands, "What is this!?"

Yuni has just destroyed another Orichalcos Soldier. He looks up to the sky. Yugi says with complete horror, _Oh no…_

Across the city, the fighting on both sides comes to stop, as both armies look up to the sky, the dragon spirits are unsure of what is happening, and the Orichalcos army begins to cheer.

Dartz declares, "The Orichalcos is the most powerful force in the universe! Now I call upon its great deity!"

In the sky, a long, serpentine silhouette appears. It pulsates, and slowly begins to take on a solid form.

Yuni asks with a suspicious horror, _Yugi…what is that…?_

Yugi answers with continued horror, _It's…the Great Leviathan…_

Lightning bolts light up the sky, illuminating the Great Leviathan's shadow, as it begins to take on a recognizable form. Dartz can be heard laughing.


	10. Episode 117: The Era of Orichalcos

Episode 117: The Era of Orichalcos

**Atlantis, 15,000 Years Ago**

The entire monster spirit army looks up in fear at the giant, serpentine silhouette looming over them in the sky. Dartz declares with an amplified voice, "Surrender your souls to the Orichalcos, and you will be doing this world a service! Continue to fight and you will know nothing but misery before the Great Leviathan!"

Timaeus shouts up to Dartz, "Nay! We shalt never surrender! It matters not how big of a creature you command, we shalt defeat it just the same!"

Dartz simply replies, "Oh well, your mistake. Great Leviathan, grand deity of the Orichalcos, grace us with your presence and destroy those who seek to end your holy crusade!"

Bolts of lightning light up the sky, and the Great Leviathan makes the change from silhouette to solid form. First its features become apparent, and then its colors fill it in. The Great Leviathan appears, fully formed.

Yuni comments, _It seems smaller than it was in the memories you showed me._

Yugi explains, _When it appeared that large, Dartz had sacrificed millions of souls, which he gathered over the course of 10,000 years, to summon it. He probably didn't have as many souls to sacrifice this time._

_ So it should be easier to beat than before, right?_

Yugi responds regretfully, _Maybe, but I wouldn't count on it. It almost single handedly defeated the Egyptian God Cards, and was already weakened from the very battle that we're in now._

The Great Leviathan lets out an ear-piercing roar, and then releases a beam of sinister energy from its mouth. The beam sweeps across the city, vaporizing everything in its path, buildings, dragons, and Orichalcos Soldiers alike.

Hermos leaps out of the way of the attack just in time. He shouts, "Dartz hast turned the tides of battle! We cannot hope to stand against such power!"

Critias shouts back, "We cannot give in! We will not give in! We shalt fight until the end, there is no other choice!"

Timaeus, using the wings he gained upon fusing with the White-Horned Dragon, flies over Critias, saying, "And fight on we will! In the name of Atlantis!" Critias leaps up and grabs onto one of Timaeus' hands. The two then fly over to Hermos, who leaps up and grabs Timaeus' other arm.

The three shout together, "For Atlantis!" Hermos and Critias both brandish their swords, Hermos' glowing with the energy of the Felgrand Dragon, and Critias' burning with the power of Burst Breath. The Great Leviathan attacks them with another beam, but Timaeus manages to fly to the side to dodge it. They manage to fly up and over the Great Leviathan. As the fly over it, Critias unleashes a stream of fire that grazes the back of the serpent as they pass over it. Timaeus then turns around for another pass. He lets go of Hermos, who lands on the monster's back. Upon landing, Hermos takes his sword and stabs it down into the beast. He then runs towards the head, dragging his blade as he goes. Timaeus and Critias follow, Critias unleashing a stream of fire at the areas just slashed by Hermos. As they make it to the head, Hermos jumps back up, Timaeus catches him, and Timaeus then attacks the head with a beam of white energy from his horn.

Dartz laughs. "Your attempt to wound the Great Leviathan is futile! It is truly invincible! Now Great Leviathan, show them your power!"

The Great Leviathan roars, and attacks with another energy beam. Timaeus attempts to dodge with a barrel roll, but fails as the attack grazes his left wing. Timaeus cries out in pain as the three begin to fall. Just in the nick of time, he manages to control his descent so that the three land on a nearby rooftop.

Yuni has recalled his monster spirits, and is running through the streets. Up ahead he spots Seto battling from the top of his Cosmic Plasma Dragon. Yuni calls up to him, "Seto, we need to take the fight back to the Leviathan! Only two of our monsters can do that!"

Seto nods in understanding and grins. "Let's do it."

Yuni points to a skyscraper that is in close proximity to the castle. "Can your dragon fly us up there?"

Seto feigns offense. "Why do you even need to ask?" Seto says something to his dragon, which then grabs Yuni and lifts off into the air. They fly towards the indicated roof. Once there they land. Seto hops off the dragon and says to it, "Go back to the battle and destroy as many of those Orichalcos Soldiers as you can." The dragon responds with a roar and flies off.

Yuni and Seto look to each other and nod. They both pull a card out of their deck boxes. Yuni declares, "I need your assistance, Chronos, the Temporal Lord!"

Seto declares, "Unleash your wrath, Quantus, the Spatial Lord!" The two massive God Monsters appear in between Seto and Yuni and the Great Leviathan. Both roar in challenge.

From his castle balcony, Dartz has an up close and personal view of the Yugohan Lords. He looks up at them with a combination of awe and horror. He stammers, "Those…those monsters…they're incredible!"

From the shadows behind him, Otto states, "They are of no importance. The Great Leviathan is made from the force that is the very antithesis of those monsters. Without their leader, Empyrean, the Sovereign Genesis Lord, they are insignificant. Watch and enjoy, as they are completely annihilated by the Grand Deity of Orichalcos."

Yuni and Seto both command at the same time, "Yugohan Lords, destroy the Great Leviathan!" Yuni adds, "Temporal Force Attack!" while Seto adds, "Fist of Physics!" Chronos first unleashes a massive ball of energy from one of its mouths, while Quantus punches, creating a giant shockwave of energy that's sent out from its fist.

The great Leviathan roars, and then attacks with another beam of tremendous energy. Its attack collide with the attacks of the Yugohan Lords. At first, the attacks from both sides seem even, but after only a moment, the Great Leviathan's attack overpowers both Chronos and Quantus' combined attacks. The attack is about to hit Yuni and Seto, until Timaeus, now in his dragon form, flies in and attacks with a beam of his own, which manages to hold off the attack just long enough for the Leviathan to stop attacking. Critias and Hermos also fly in, them too in their dragon forms. They all land next to Yuni and Seto.

Yuni says, "Thanks for that, you saved us."

Timaeus, unable to speak while in this form, simply looks Yuni in the eyes and nods.

Seto says, "I don't get it, nothing is more powerful than Quantus, how could that behemoth possibly overpower him, especially when partnered with Chronos?"

Yuni answers, "Back when Yugi battled the Great Leviathan, it took the power of all three of his Egyptian God Monsters. The Yugohan Lords may be just as powerful as them, if not more so, but Yugi had the Winged Dragon of Ra, and we don't have access to Empyrean, the Sovereign Genesis Lord. We lack the combined might of three God Cards." He then looks to Timaeus and says, "It looks like your attacks are almost a match for the Great Leviathan as well. You three should combine your power with our monsters."

The three dragons nod and then take back off into the air. Along with Chronos and Quantus, they fly towards the Great Leviathan. Now that they're closer together, the size comparison becomes evident. The Yugohan Lords may be massive, and the Great Leviathan may be smaller than normal, but it is still far larger than either of them. The five attackers dodge a beam from the Leviathan's mouth.

They make it up close. First to move in is Chronos. The two monsters engage in a battle which only two serpents could, as they wrap and twist around each other, attempting to get the upper hand over the other. While it is distracted, Quantus moves in. It delivers a direct, energy-packed punch right to the back of the Leviathan's head. At the same time, the three Legendary Dragons attack by combining their beam attacks.

The Great Leviathan now seems angered by the attacks. It roars, and with the roar, it uses a new attack, creating a shockwave pulse that knocks back the close-in Chronos and Quantus. Timaeus, Critias, and Hermos manage to fly far enough away in time to avoid the full power of attack, but they are knocked back to the rooftop. They transform back into their human forms. Meanwhile, Chronos and Quantus aren't fairing so well. Having took the full force of the attack, they fall to the ground and disappear.

Seto says with disbelief, "It just destroyed my most powerful monster…as if it were nothing…"

Yuni runs over to the knights, who are just now getting up. "Are you guys okay?"

Before any of them can answer, Dartz proclaims with is amplified voice, "Do you see now that this battle is all in vain? Stop fighting, allow your souls to be absorbed, and you will become one with the glory of the Orichalcos!"

Before anyone responds to him, the Great Leviathan attacks again, its beam of energy now cutting through the base of the building that Yuni, Seto, and the knights stand on. The building collapses, and they all scream.

The building fully collapses, but somehow they all manage to come out okay. They are beat up, bruised, covered in the dust collapsing building, but okay.

Ironheart, Chris, and Skye run towards them. They are followed by Tori, Brutus, Cosmo, and Celestia. Upon getting close, Celestia calls, "Are you okay?" She has directed the question towards the right, where both Seto and Critias stand.

Both Seto and Critias answer at the same time, in the same way, "I'm fine." They then look to each other angrily and grunt.

Tori says with disbelief, "Did I really just see what I thought I saw? Did the Great Leviathan just destroy both of your Yugohan Lords?" Yuni and Seto nod.

Brutus exclaims, "That's not possible!"

Yuni says, "I wouldn't have thought so either, but it is."

Timaeus steps forward and says, "This battle is not going well for us. We need to find a way to turn the tide of battle in our favor, or all is lost and Dartz wins."

A morbid expression crosses Ironheart's face. He says, "There is one way…"

Everyone looks to him. Hermos asks, "Pray tell what this miracle method is?"

Ironheart shakes his head. "No, it is not a miracle method. It is about as far from a miracle as you could get, but it is a solution."

Chris says, "Grandpa, you're scaring me."

"I'm sorry Chris. I was hoping it wouldn't have to come to this, but it looks like it will. It is time to activate the Atlantis Contingency."

Critias says, "I hast never heard of such a thing. What is it?"

Ironheart explains solemnly, "Back when Atlantis was first discovered the Orichalcos stones, and began to advance technologically, my father knew that it would become the coveted gem of the world. He knew that we might eventually face an invasion in which we might lose Atlantis to the invaders. The advanced secrets of Atlantis could not be allowed to fall into enemy hands. So my father conceived of the Atlantis Contingency, a final resort weapon to be used only in the most extreme of emergencies. If we can activate it, Atlantis will be lost, but Dartz and his Great Leviathan will also be stopped, and they will not be able to spread their evil to the rest of the world."

Timaeus says, "It sounds as if that may be our only hope. I agree with thee, we should activate the weapon." The other two knights nod in agreement.

Ironheart nods. "Then it is decided. We will activate the Atlantis Contingency. To do so, we must journey to the catacombs deep below the Castle of Atlantis. It is deep in enemy territory, and will be incredibly dangerous. I'll go down, but I'll need help. Be advised though, those who venture down, may not be able to get out before the weapon is activated."

Timaeus steps forward. "I shalt go."

Next is Critias, "As shalt I."

Then Hermos, "I volunteer as well."

Yuni steps up as well. "I'm in."

Seto, almost as if not to be outdone, says, "I wouldn't miss it."

Ironheart nods. "Alright, we'll set off immediately." He looks to everyone else. "You need to make sure that you all get out of here before we activate the weapon. For once we do, there will be no hope for escape."

Chris asks, "Grandpa, what about me, can't I come?"

Ironheart shakes his head. "No Chris. You may have marched into battle with me before, but this will be entirely different. I need you up here, so that you can get out of the weapon's range before it's too late."

Chris nods. "Alright Grandpa, just promise me you'll come back."

Ironheart is about to say something, but then he stops. After a moment, he says, "I'm sorry Chris, but I can't promise that." This brings a tear to Chris' eye. Ironheart turns away from her, too hurt to look back. He says, "Come on, let's go." The volunteer group follows his lead.

* * *

Yuni, Seto, Ironheart, and the knights are now in dark and dingy tunnels. It is moist and damp, as water drips from the roof all over. Critias states, "I am unfamiliar with these tunnels."

Ironheart responds, "These catacombs run beneath the entire city. They are a labyrinth designed to baffle and confuse any invading armies. I am one of only two people alive who knows the path to end."

Yuni asks, "Who's the other one?"

"Dartz."

Seto says sarcastically, "Isn't that great?"

Ironheart then says, "He doesn't know our plan, so we should be fine for now."

Critias now responds sarcastically, "How comforting."

Timaeus proclaims, "We cannot let that worry us now. We must move forth, for it is our only hope." Everyone continues moving. Ironheart guides them through the constantly branching path of the catacombs.

* * *

Dartz continues to watch the progress of the ongoing battle from his balcony. The Great Leviathan still floats above him, as it continues to destroy both attacking dragon spirits and the surrounding city. The city has been almost completely leveled at this point. Dartz says, "Victory is within my grasps. It is a shame that Atlantis had to be completely destroyed, but a more pure world is worth the cost."

Otto agrees, "Yes, we must be willing to sacrifice anything to achieve our goal."

Dartz nods. "And now with the power of the Great Leviathan, we will."

"The Orichalcos is benevolent. It will always provide us the-" He suddenly stops and closes his eyes.

Dartz asks, "What, what is it?"

"I sense a disturbance. The Orichalcos is warning me of something…" He suddenly turns around and walks off.

Dartz asks, "Where are you going?"

"The opportunity has presented itself to destroy the Knights of Atlantis. I am going to do so. You must remain here and oversee the remainder of the battle."

Dartz nods. "It will be my pleasure." Otto walks out.

* * *

The group continues their quest through the catacombs. Hermos asks, "How much further must we venture?"

Ironheart responds, "We are nearing our destination now."

Then Otto's voice says from behind them, "Oh are you? And just what might that destination be?"

Everyone turns around. Standing behind them is Otto, however his face is cloaked by shadows, so his features cannot be made out. Ironheart says, "You must be Ottikus."

Yuni exclaims, "Ottiuk!"

Otto says, "Ah, so the final incarnation of Yu-Gi-Oh has managed to piece it together. However, you know not of what is going on. Now, it is time to face your doom."

Yuni, Seto, and Ironheart all prepare to fight, however, the knights step in front of them and draw their swords. Timaeus declares, "Nay, you three move forward to activate the weapon, we shalt handle this one."

Yuni nods. "Alright, but you be careful, we still need you."

Critias grins confidently. "Do not fret, for there are three of us, and only one of him. We shalt win."

With that Ironheart leads Yuni and Seto down a nearby tunnel.

The knights all remain in their ready stance, and Otto steps forward, into better lighting. Otto states, "This should be fun. After all of these years, I finally get to battle with Yu-Gi-Oh and Seto again."

Critias makes the first move as he cries, "Have at thee!" He charges towards Otto, sword adrawn. As he slash the sword downwards, Otto responds by simply raising his palm. The blade impacts a barrier of shadows right above Otto's palm. Otto then grabs the sword and uses his leverage to throw Critias across the room.

At this point Timaeus and Hermos each charge towards Otto. They approach him from either side. Critias quickly gets up and leaps into the air. Otto now has three blades coming towards him from different directions. His response is to summon a bubble of shadows around him, which he then causes to quickly expand. This forces all three knights back."

Timaeus demands, "What sorcery is this!?"

Otto chuckles. "How pathetic. You know nothing of your history, of your heritage, or where you come from."

Hermos leaps up and slashes at Otto, declaring, "We are of Atlantis!"

Otto extends a hand and using some sort of telekinetic powers, catches Hermos in midair. He levitates Hermos so that they are face-to-face. "I wasn't addressing you." He laughs. "You are nothing but a mistake. A fluke. You were never meant to exist. You just happened to be born in the right place at the right time. You are simply a cosmic coincidence, and have no purpose here. You do not hail from Yugoha, you are insignificant."

Timaeus is running towards Otto. He declares, "He is anything but!" Otto tosses Hermos to the side, and then deflects Timaeus' sword. Critias comes up from behind, but Otto also deflects his blow without even looking. He then throws them both to the opposite side of the room from Hermos.

He takes a step closer to them and says, "Since you bonded with the Dragons of Legend, I may not be able to destroy you by conventional methods, but the Orichalcos presents me with an alternative, one that the fool Dartz was too blind to use when he fought you originally." Otto reaches into his pockets and pulls out something. They're three Orichalcos stones. He tosses them to the ground, where they arrange themselves in a triangular formation around Timaeus and Critias. They light up and glow. Within seconds the stones create a Seal of Orichalcos around the fallen knights. Bolts of green electricity begin to come out of the stones and electrocute the knights. They cry out in pain. Otto begins to laugh evilly. "After all these millennia, I will finally destroy a portion of Yu-Gi-Oh and Seto!"

Hermos slowly looks towards his fellow knights. He is obviously in a lot of pain. But he struggles to get up. He grunts. "Thou shalt not destroy my friends!" He is now fully up and he dashes towards Timaeus and Critias. He leaps at them, pushing them out of the Seal of Orichalcos, just as the barrier is about to close around them, leaving him trapped inside. He shouts and writhes in pain.

Timaeus and Critias shout at the same time, "Hermos!" Timaeus attempts to slash his sword at the barrier, but it bounces off, doing absolutely nothing.

Critias asks, "Why would thou do that?"

Hermos forces a grin and a chuckle. "Why wouldn't I?" He suddenly shouts out in pain again.

There is a tear in Timaeus' eye. He says, "Hermos, we shalt save you."

Hermos shakes his head. "Nay, there's no way. Focus your efforts on the enemy. Remember, we must put Atlantis first. Now go, defeat Ottikus and save Atlantis, nay, save the world!" He looks to Otto with defiance and asks, "Who's the mistake now?" He cries out in pain one last time, and suddenly he is gone.

Otto cries in rage, "No, you fool! You ruined my one chance!"

Timaeus and Critias look to each other. Both faces display completely different emotions. Timaeus is crying and devastated, Critias shows rage. They both then look to Otto and declare, "For Atlantis, for Hermos!" They both transform into their dragon forms and fly up into the air. They unleash a barrage of energy beam attacks at Otto.

At first, Otto manages to deflect the attacks, but they quickly begin to overwhelm him. He shouts, "I will not be defeated!"

Timaeus and Critias both roar, and then unleash a large and continuous beam of energy at Otto. Otto begins to cry out in pain and rage. The attack keeps going. Otto suddenly disappears.

* * *

The moment Otto disappears, the scene shifts, so that we now see modern day Otto sitting in a meditative stance in his dark room. His eyes suddenly snap open and he starts panting with shock. After taking a few seconds to recover, he says to himself, "I have failed in Atlantis…no matter. I still have two more chances to manipulate the past."

* * *

Ironheart has lead Yuni and Seto into a large chamber. A large machine is situated in the center of the room, it appears to be some sort of massive dynamo. Yuni asks, "So that's it, the Atlantis Contingency?"

Ironheart nods. "Yes, this is the only hope for the world now."

Seto asks, "What exactly is it supposed to do?"

"It is supposed to completely destroy Atlantis, along with any enemies that may inhabit it by dragging Atlantis to the bottom of the sea."

Yuni chuckles at the irony. "So it's Atlantis that ends up sinking itself, mystery solved."

Ironheart asks in confusion, "What do you mean?"

Yuni shakes his head. "It's nothing to worry about. Now how do we activate it?"

Ironheart steps up to the machine. He removes his crown. "The crown of a monarch of Atlantis is the key to activating the device." He inserts his crown into a slot on a control panel. He then pulls a lever. "And this should turn it on." However, nothing happens. Ironheart looks baffled.

Yuni observes the machine. Yugi points out, _Hey, look at the center of the machine._

Yuni looks there. Propped in the center is round, green gem. _An Orichalcos stone! _He asks aloud, "Is the machine powered by an Orichalcos stone?"

Ironheart nods. "It is the only power source great enough to power such a weapon." He then realizes what Yuni is inferring. "Orichalcos itself is not allowing us to activate this machine. We need to figure out an alternate power source."

Yuni asks, "But what could we use as an alternate source of power?"

Seto steps forward. "Luckily for you two, you brought me along." He pulls a card out of his deck box. "Plasma Bolt, power this machine!" Seto's monster composed of lightning appears in front of him.

Yuni exclaims, "Seto, that's genius! The Plasma Bolt is made of pure energy!"

Seto nods self-confidently. "What would you do without me?" The monster leaps in the central ring of the dynamo and allows itself to be absorbed into the machine via the slot that holds the Orichalcos stone. The dynamo powers up and the concentric rings begin to spin."

Ironheart nods. "This is going to work." He starts to press buttons on the control panel. "Alright, I don't want to give Dartz or his monsters any chance to escape. The machine will activate as soon as it warms up. Let's get out of here."

They all turn around and run out of the room. They run through the twisting and turning chambers and halls. Suddenly, there is a loud humming noise, followed by some sort of low pitched but loud mechanical wail. The humming continues. Seto asks, "What does that mean?"

Ironheart says, "It means the machine is ready, the process has already began." Just as he finishes saying that, everything around them begins to shake. They keep on running.

After running through even more corridors, the walls around and roof above them begin to crumble and collapse. Seto looks to Yuni and says, "Great, I'm going to die in here, trapped with you for eternity."

Yuni declares, "No, we can't give up yet, we have to keep on moving!"

Just then, a massive chunk of roof collapses in front of them, blocking the way forward. Seto says, "Please tell me there's an alternate path."

Ironheart says morbidly, "There isn't. In order to make it as hard as possible to find, there is only one path in, and hence, only one path out."

Seto shakes his head. "Then we really are doomed." He takes a deep breath. "I'm so sorry Kodane."

Suddenly Yuni points up, to where the roof collapsed. He shouts, "No we're not, look!" Through the hole in the roof, the sky can be seen, and coming into view is Timaeus, flying towards them in his dragon form.

Ironheart proclaims, "It's Timaeus, we're saved!"

Timaeus lands on the fallen ruble. He makes a motion with his head for them to get on his back. They do so. Timaeus lifts off, and they fly up, back into the city.

Ironheart says, "Great, now we just need to get out of here before the barrier is erected!"

Yuni asks, "What barrier?"

"In order to ensure that the invading army was trapped when the city sunk, the Atlantis Contingency will erect a barrier that will trap all within it, pulling them down with the city. That's how we'll stop the Great Leviathan!"

Timaeus flies straight up, the Great Leviathan comes into view. Seto says, "Speak of the devil…"

* * *

Dartz is standing on his balcony as it shakes. He looks around in horror. "No, he wouldn't…" He grabs his Orichalcos stone and holds it near his mouth. Using it as some sort of communicator he says, "Ottikus, do you hear me? We need to get out of the city, now!" There's no response. Dartz shakes his head in frustration, and then makes a run for it.

* * *

The Great Leviathan has noticed Timaeus. Ironheart says, "While we need to get out, we also have to make sure the Leviathan doesn't follow us. Distract it until the barrier begins to appear."

Timaeus nods. He flies close to the Leviathan and strafes him with a beam of energy. The Leviathan turns, attempting to fight back, but it's too slow. However, it does manage to use its tail to knock Timaeus down to the ground. Once it does that, it prepares for a final attack.

Yuni shouts, "don't give up Timaeus, you have to keep on fighting!"

Timaeus looks up and attacks with another beam, just as the Leviathan attacks with its own. The two attacks collide, creating a massive explosion. Taking that distraction as its chance, Timaeus gets back up into the air.

Ironheart points to the perimeter of what was once the city. "Look, the barrier is appearing!" An energy field is rising out of the ground.

Timaeus flies straight up, at his maximum speed. The Great Leviathan attempts to follow. It reaches forward with its mouth, attempting to catch Timaeus, but just as it is about to, the barrier closes in front of it, Timaeus having made it out just in time. Everyone, even Seto, cheers. Timaeus roars in triumph.

Meanwhile, the Great Leviathan is roaring as well, but in anger. Its unleashing attack after attack on the barrier, but to no effect. The city and the surrounding land is now noticeably sinking into the ocean.

Another roar is heard. Everyone looks towards it to see Critias, as a dragon, flying towards them. On his back is Tori, Brutus, Cosmo, Celestia, Chris, and Skye. Brutus calls over, "Hey, nice to see you in one piece!" They fly closer.

Yuni responds, "It's nice to _be_ back in one piece."

Everyone looks back to the sinking city. Tori says in awe, "Wow, I never even dreamed of actually witnessing the sinking of Atlantis."

Yuni suddenly realizes something is wrong. He asks, "Hey, where's Hermos?" The two dragons can only answer by hanging their heads in despair. Everyone seems to understand, and join in their mourning.

* * *

Atlantis has completely sunk, but wreckage can be seen floating all over. One large piece of wreckage seems to have something on it, or rather, someone. Dartz is clinging to it. He is bruised, beat up, and wet. He looks over the floating wreckage. He says in horror to himself, "My city, my glorious city. How could it have fallen? Even more unbelievable, how could the Great Leviathan be defeated? My father, and the rest of humanity, will pay for this. Even if it takes me millennia, I will have my revenge, I will purify this planet in the name of Orichalcos!"


	11. Episode 118: Duels of Future Past Part 1

Episode 118: Duels of Future Past Part 1

**Somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean, 15,000 Years Ago**

Timaeus and Critias, still in their dragon forms and everyone still on their backs, circle around a small island. They land and everyone gets off. They transform back into knights. Critias states, "So that is it. Atlantis exists no more."

Timaeus nods. "And neither does Hermos."

Both knights watch the waves of the ocean as they wash over the beach in front of them. Critias states solemnly, "Then that is the end of the Knights of Atlantis. We have no purpose now. We are now relics of a bygone era."

Yuni steps forward and says, "No, you are not. You two are still a part of something greater than you could ever imagine. There is a reason we sought you two out. We face a threat even greater then Dartz, one that could destroy not just this world, but countless others."

Timaeus and Critias look to Yuni. Timaeus asks, "What dost thou mean?"

"I mean that my friends and I have traveled here from the future in order to seek your assistance in destroying a powerful enemy."

Cosmo steps forward as well. "Brave knights, it may sound insane, but he speaks the truth." Cosmo looks to Yuni and explains, "You have to challenge Timaeus to a duel."

Yuni asks in confusion, "A duel?"

Cosmo nods. "Yes, well, more a ceremonial challenge, but a duel will work as such. You see, a challenge from the final incarnations of the Princes of Yugoha will activate an achromatic spell on the other incarnations. This means that we will all be lifted out of time itself. During which period the ceremonial challenge will occur. Throughout the course of the challenge, memories from across time will return to the incarnation. For example, Timaeus will remember Yugi and fighting alongside him 5,000 years ago. If you manage to win the ceremonial challenge, then we will be able to take Timaeus with us back to the present." He then looks to Seto and says, "You shall also have to challenge Critias."

Timaeus and Critias seem very confused by this explanation. Yuni asks, "All I have to do is challenge him to a duel, and the spell is activated?" Cosmo nods. "In that case," Yuni steps towards Timaeus, "Timaeus, I challenge you to a duel!"

Something seems to wash over Timaeus. In a calm voice he responds, "I accept thy challenge." As he does, the space-time fabric itself seems to ripple all around them. First, Ironheart, Chris, and Skye freeze in place, as well as everything surrounding them except the other people. Then everything frozen in time begins to fade away into black. Once they are floating in a black void, there is a sudden explosion of color. They now float in a dimension of twisted colors and light.

Brutus exclaims, "Whoa, what just happened!?"

Celestia explains, "We now float in a void outside of time. It is the realm of Chronos, the Temporal Lord. The distortion of colors you see is everything that has, will, and can happen all spread out across extra-dimensional space."

Tori then asks, "Just wondering, how is Yuni supposed to duel with Timaeus when Duel Monsters hasn't even been invented for Timaeus yet?"

Cosmo shakes his head. "Duel Monsters has always existed in one form or another."

As he says that, Timaeus holds up his arm, and an extension of his armor folds out. It almost looks like he's wearing a Duel Disk now. Yuni, realizing this, activates his own Duel Gauntlet. The Duel Computer does not say anything, probably due to Timaeus' "Duel Disk" being incompatible, but Yuni's Duel Gauntlet boots up like normal otherwise. Meanwhile, Timaeus' Duel Disk begins to emit a golden aura. With some sort of magic projection, what seems to be five semi-transparent stone tablets made of gold light float above his Duel Disk.

Yuni declares, "I'll go first, duel on!" He draws. "I activate Cyber Advance! At the cost of not being able to Normal Summon this turn, this card summons a Machine-Type monster from my hand and equips onto it. I summon the Cyber-Tech Assault Cannon (Earth/Level 8/Machine/Effect/ATK 2900/DEF 1400)! Now I'll just set a card to complete my turn (Yuni's hand: 3)."

Timaeus still appears to be an emotionless state. Instead of drawing, he waves a hand over his projected "cards." When he does so, another projection appears. As soon as he does this, he suddenly snaps out of his reverie. He states, "I have acquired a memory… that I cannot explain. I am trapped in the body of Plato, unable to revert back to my normal form."

Yuni looks to Cosmo, who nods. Yuni then asks, "Do you remember anything else odd?"

Timaeus shakes his head. "Nay, that is all."

Cosmo states, "Give it time, it will all come back to you."

Yuni nods in agreement. "Just duel to your full ability."

Timaeus nods. "I summon Tamer of Atlantis (Earth/Level 4/Warrior/Effect/ATK 800/DEF 1900) in Defense Mode." A hefty and muscular monster bearing an oversized shield appears in front of Timaeus. It wears blue armor with a gold trim. "When I summon the Tamer of Atlantis, it automatically calls upon an ally from my deck, such as the Noble Steed of Atlantis (Light/Level 4/Beast/Effect/ATK 1600/DEF 1500)." This monster is a majestic blue horse. It wears a saddle that is also blue with gold trim. "Now that I control two Atlantis monster, I can demonstrate to thee their true power. I activate Polymerization in order to fuse my two monsters together and summon the Gallant Guardian of Atlantis (Light/Level 6/Warrior/Fusion/ATK 2500/DEF 2200)!" The monsters combine together into one, the Tamer now rides the horse. The Tamer's shield has been separated, and each half is now wielded as a blade attached to each of its arms. "When the Noble Steed of Atlantis is used in a Fusion Summon of an Atlantis monster, it grants that monster an extra 500 attack points (ATK: 3000)! Now Gallant Guardian of Atlantis, attack the automaton known as Cyber-Tech Assault Cannon!" The horse-riding monster gallops towards Yuni's and slices right through it (Yuni's LP: 3900). "And now that I have destroyed thy monster, the effect of Gallant Guardian activates and inflicts 1000 points of damage (Yuni's LP: 2900). Now I'll set a tablet and conclude my turn (Timaeus' hand: 3)." On his field, instead of a facedown card, a facedown stone tablet appears.

Yuni draws. "I can see that you are a formidable duelist. It doesn't matter though, because I have to win in order to save the galaxy."

Brutus asks Cosmo, "Hey, if it's so important that Yuni wins, then why doesn't Timaeus just duel badly on purpose and let Yuni win? We're all on the same side."

Cosmo shakes his head. "No, that wouldn't work. The ceremonial battle must be waged with both sides putting their all into it. If anything else occurs, the spell will not work properly, and Timaeus will not be able to join us in the present."

Brutus nods. "Alright, I get it." He then cheers, "Come on Yuni, he may look like you, but that doesn't mean he can duel as well as you!"

Tori says, "I don't know Brutus, they're both practically the same person. I think it might mean that."

Brutus glares at her. "You know what I mean."

Yuni declares, "I summon Cyber-Tech Grappler (Earth/Level 4/Machine/Effect/ATK 2000/DEF 0)." This monster is a hulking robotic creature. It has six arms and appears very strong. "This monster can only attack when my life points are lower than yours. In addition, if you only control monsters who have higher attack than it, it gains 1000 Attack Points when it declares an attack. Cyber-Tech Grappler, attack the Gallant Guardian of Atlantis!" The monster begins to run towards Timaeus' monster. As it does, electrical energy begins to surge through it (ATK: 3000). It slams into Timaeus' monster and both monsters explode as a result.

Timaeus asks, "Thou may have destroyed my monster, but thou have destroyed thy own monster as well."

Yuni grins. "But I planned for that. Activate facedown card: Cyber-Tech Upgrade! This spell summons a monster with 500 more Attack Points to replace the one that was just destroyed, such as the mighty Cyber-Tech Magician (Dark/Level 7/Spellcaster/Effect/ATK 2500/DEF 2100)!"

Timaeus widens his eyes in disbelief. "That monster…"

Yuni finishes, "Will be the way I win this duel. Cyber-Tech Magician, attack Timaeus directly!"

Timaeus gets over his surprise and declares, "I activate a facedown tablet of my own, Atlantis Defense! At the cost of 1000 life points (Timaeus' LP: 3000) this tablet negates thy attack and allows me to summon a monster of mine own. Come forth, Atlantis Magician (Dark/Level 7/Spellcaster/Effect/ATK 2500/DEF 2100)!" Yuni, along with Brutus and Tori, appear surprised. Yuni gasps, as the monster now in front of him is nearly a mirror image of his own. It wears the iconic curved conical hat, and holds a similar staff. Judging by its face, it is the same person wearing the armor. The major difference is that it wears blue armor with gold trim.

Suddenly at the same moment, both Timaeus and Yuni freeze up. The setting around them changes, as they seem to have a vision. They now float above some sort of rocky landscape. At first glance it seems to be empty, but then someone runs in. It's a child, but not any child. It seems to be Prince Yu-Gi-Oh. He's running away from something, and appears terrified. He trips over a rock and falls to the ground. He cries, "Somebody help me!" A large a looming creature that seems to be made of shadows approaches the young Yu-Gi-Oh. "Help!"

Just then there is a brilliant display of golden light. When it subsides, something stands between Yu-Gi-Oh and the creature. It seems to be yet another magician monster, also looking like the Cyber-Tech Magician. This magician wears golden armor and robes, and glows with a rainbow aura. It declares in a voice the same as Dark Magician/Mahad's, "You shall not harm this boy!" It generates a burst of light from its staff, which seems to damage the attacking creature, causing it to retreat. The magician turns to Yu-Gi-Oh and extends a hand. It says, "Do not fear young prince, I will always be at your side. No harm shall come to you as long as I am with you." Young Yu-Gi-Oh smiles and takes the magician's hand.

Back in the present, Brutus asks, "Whoa, am I seeing double here, or are there two Cyber-Tech Magicians?"

Cosmo shakes his head. "No, Yu-Gi-Oh and Seto where not the only two who split souls, they each had a special partner that would serve them in any lifetime. You are seeing the result of that bond now."

Tori exclaims, "That's why the Cyber-Tech Magician looks so much like the Dark Magician!"

Timaeus is in a state of disbelief. He asks, "What was that vision!?"

Yuni answers, "What you just saw was a past life. You and I are the reincarnations of an ancient prince from another world. That is why we sought you out."

Timaeus shakes his head in disbelief. "This is an awful lot to take in."

Yuni responds, "Give it some time, I think that as this duel goes on, things will become clearer to you."

Timaeus slowly nods. "Fine, thou hast helped me, so I shalt trust thou."

Yuni nods back. "Good." He observes the field. "I expect that your Magician will be a challenge, but my Magician and I are ready for it. We end our turn (Yuni's hand: 3)."

Timaeus calls upon another tablet. "I activate the effect of Atlantis Magician. Once per turn I can add one Polymerization or Fusion Spell Tablet from my deck to my hand. I shalt add my ultimate spell, Atlantis Fusion! Next I shalt activate it! This tablet first adds another Atlantis tablet from my deck to my hand, such as the Mystic Steed of Atlantis, and then allows me to fuse it with a monster I control!" A blue griffon wearing a golden saddle appears on the field, and Timaeus' magician mounts it. "I summon the Magical Guardian of Atlantis (Dark/Level 8/Spellcaster/Fusion/ATK 3100/DEF 2800)! Now Magical Guardian of Atlantis, go forth and slay the Cyber-Tech Magician!" The griffon mount soars into the air, and the magician rider charges for an attack with its staff.

As this happens, Timaeus suddenly experiences another vision. He is in his dragon form, and the Dark Magician stands atop his back. He has been fused into the Amulet Dragon. Yugi can be heard commanding, "Amulet Dragon, attack! Destroy his Guardian Eatos!" Timaeus and the Dark Magician combine their powers to attack. The vision ends, and Timaeus is left stunned. He wonders, _Another vision… What could it mean? I saw…myself, but I was with yet another magician monster on my back. And that voice…it sounded like mine…or Yuni's, but it wasn't. _He looks up to Yuni. _Maybe there really is something else going on here. _

Meanwhile, Timaeus' monster continues its attack. It unleashes a magical blast from the air. The Cyber-Tech Magician monster attempts to counter, but is destroyed (Yuni's LP: 2300). Yuni grunts. Timaeus shakes off his remaining confusion, and declares, "That ends my turn (Timaeus' hand: 4)."

Yuni draws. "It looks like we're waging an ultimate battle of the magicians! Since it was destroyed by battle, I activate Cyber-Tech Revenge and use it to revive the Cyber-Tech Magician!" Yuni's magician triumphantly returns. "With the power of Cyber-Tech Revenge pumping through it, the Cyber-Tech Magician can now attack directly! Do it Cyber-Tech Magician, Cyber Magic Attack!"

Timaeus counters, "I call upon the power of my Magical Guardian! When thou declare an attack, it can select thy attack target! Redirect thy attack to my monster!"

Yuni then comes back, "Too bad for your monster, because I was about to play a card to power up my magician! I activate Cyber-Tech Spellbook of Strength, granting my monster an additional 1000 Attack Points!" A spellbook appears in the magician's hand, and chants a spell (ATK: 3500). It then attacks with its Cyber Magic Attack. Timaeus' monster attempts to counter, but is overwhelmed (Timaeus' LP: 2600). "I guess I win the battle of the magicians."

Timaeus shakes his head. "Nay, my magician is still in this battle! For when the Magical Guardian of Atlantis is destroyed by battle, it can special summon one of its Fusion Materials from the grave. Return to me, Atlantis Magician!" In flash of light, Timaeus' monster returns.

"So the battle continues, but my turn ends by setting a card (Yuni's hand: 1)."

"And my turn begins." Timaeus adds another tablet to his hand. He looks at the tablet. His eyes suddenly go wide. He thinks in shock, _That tablet! How is it possible!? _He is looking at a tablet form of the card Eye of Timaeus. _It's me!_

Suddenly memories from another timeline come rushing into Timaeus' head. First, he sees Dartz throwing the Sword of Kings at him, impacting him in the eye, and beginning the spell that seals him away. Then he sees Yugi and Atem removing the sword, unsealing him. He sees himself fighting alongside Yugi, fusing into both the Amulet Dragon and Dark Magician Girl the Dragon Knight. Then it's Yugi's duel with Dartz, when Yugi activates Legend of Heart and transforms Timaeus, Critias, and Hermos back into knights, and then combing into the Knight of Destiny in order to defeat the Divine Serpent Geh. Finally, he sees himself saying goodbye to Yugi before returning to the monster realm.

Timaeus then returns to reality. He is panting heavily as if he had just exerted himself. He struggles to say, "I…remember everything…"

Yugi urges, _Ask him if he remembers me._

Yuni conveys, "Do you remember fighting alongside Yugi?"

Timaeus nods. "Yes, I remember the valiant warrior and chosen duelist Yugi. He was another that appears like thou and myself, and he also commanded yet another magician monster."

Yuni nods. "Yes, he was another reincarnation of Prince Yu-Gi-Oh, just as you and I are."

Timaeus slowly nods. "It does make sense. I accept your statements as fact."

"That's great. All that's left now is to complete our duel."

"So be it. I activate the ultimate Spell Tablet, and manifestation of my very own power, The Eye of Timaeus (**Note: **This is the anime version, meaning it can work on non-Dark Magician monsters)! Now I use its powerful magic on my Atlantis Magician in order to summon the Ultimate Guardian of Atlantis (Dark/Level 8/Dragon/Fusion/ATK 2900/DEF 2500)!" The monster flies down onto the field. It seems to mirror the Amulet Dragon, as the Atlantis Magician stands atop the back of Timaeus in dragon form in a similar stance. Also, Timaeus the dragon has been covered in mystic runes. "The Ultimate Guardian of Atlantis gains 500 Attack Points for every Fusion or Polymerization tablet in my grave! I currently have two (ATK: 3900). In addition, I activate Atlantis Power! This tablet equips to an Atlantis Fusion monster I control, granting it extra strength! Now when it destroys a monster, it inflicts damage to thy life points equal to thy monster's attack! Go Ultimate Guardian of Atlantis, end this duel!" Both the dragon and the magician begin to charge for a combined attack.

Tori shouts, "No, if this attack makes it through, Yuni loses!"

Yuni then states, "Then I'd better not let it go through. I activate my facedown card, Cyber-Tech Spellbook of Invincibility!" A second spellbook appears in the Cyber-Tech Magician's opposite hand. The Ultimate Guardian attacks, but the Cyber-Tech Magician casts a spell which creates a barrier that protects it (Yuni's LP: 1900). "Now my Magician can't be destroyed by battle."

Timaeus nods. "So thou survive. I must admit, while I am relieved that I have not defeated thou, so that there is still a chance we may save the world, part of me is disappointed that I did not defeat thee."

Yuni responds, "I can understand that feeling."

"It would appear we really are the same. I shalt end my turn (Timaeus' hand: 3)."

Yuni draws. "And it's time for me to wrap up this duel! I activate the Cyber-Tech Spellbook Catalog! Now by banishing a Cyber-Tech Spellbook card from my deck, I can activate its effect as this card's effect. I'll use the effect of the Cyber-Tech Spellbook of Overpowering! Since my life points are less than yours, this card doubles the power of my magician!" Another spellbook appears, this one replacing the spellbook of invincibility. It chants yet another spell (ATK: 7000). "Now Cyber-Tech Magician, finish this duel! Cyber Magic Attack!" Using all the power it has gained from the spells, the magician charges for a massive attack.

Timaeus nods in understanding. "That is it for me. I yield." The attack is unleashed, and the Ultimate Guardian of Atlantis is destroyed (Timaeus' LP: 0). The duel ends.

Both duelists look at each other, seemingly with a new understanding of each other.


	12. Episode 119: Duels of Future Past Part 2

Episode 119: Duels of Future Past Part 2

**Nowhere, No Time**

Yuni, Seto, Brutus, Tori, Timaeus, Critias, Cosmo, and Celestia remain in the void outside of time. Yuni and Timaeus have just completed their duel. Timaeus looks to Critias and says, "Critias, thou and I have lived an alternate life, one where we went on to save the world 10,000 years in future!" He hesitates. "One where Hermos survived."

Critias looks at him skeptically, "This seems hard to believe, but I do trust thee."

Cosmo declares, "There is only one way for you to know for sure, you must have a duel with Seto."

Seto looks towards him. "Finally. I've been waiting for some action."

Critias looks towards him and nods in agreement. "As have I. We shalt duel."

Yuni and Timaeus step down from their positions, and Seto and Critias move to take them. Critias bends down towards Celestia on his way over and whispers, "Thou should watch closely, for I shalt display for thee how an honorable knight duels."

Seto glares at him angrily. He then says, "How about I save you the embarrassment and tell you ahead of time that you will not be the winner of this duel."

They take their positions. As Critias activates his Duel Armor, he says, "Maybe thou should not be saying such things, for it could be thee who loses, and thus be the embarrassed one."

Seto activates his Duel Gauntlet. "You obviously don't know the first thing about the person you are about to duel."

Critias responds, "I know that I came before thou, and thus am the original. Thou art nothing but an imitation." He adds a tablet to his hand. "And as such, I shalt take the first turn. I set three tablets facedown and conclude my turn (Critias' hand: 3)."

Seto laughs. "Ha! You talk such a big game, and yet you can't even summon a monster. This duel will be even easier than I initially thought." He draws.

Critias states, "I'll be kind and offer thee a warning. Just because I summoned no monsters, does not mean I shalt lose. In fact, it means the opposite."

Seto scoffs, "Sure, if that's what you really believe, let's prove you wrong. I summon Plasma Archfiend (Light/Level 4/Fiend/Effect/ATK 1800/DEF 1200)!" Seto summons a monstrous creature made of red plasma. It has large body proportions and an animalistic pose. "Now this card allows me to pay 500 life points in order to increase its level by one (Seto's LP: 3500) (Level: 5) and its attack by 300 (ATK: 2200). But that's not the end of it. I can activate this effect twice (Seto's LP: 3000) (Level: 6) (ATK: 2500)." Each time Seto activates the effect, the monster glows brighter and grows larger. "Now Plasma Archfiend, attack this knock-off directly!" The monster prepares to launch a ball of plasma at Critias.

Critias declares, "Nay! It may appear to thou that my field is devoid of any monsters, but thou would be wrong! For hidden on my field is a formidable creature that shall protect me!"

Seto looks shocked. _What!? How is that possible? He has no monster cards on the field, there's no way he could already have a monster ready to intercept my attack! _He looks to Critias' facedown cards. _Unless he has a card that is both a trap and a monster!_

Critias declares, "Face my Trap Tablet, Guardian of the Reliquary! When this tablet is activated, it summons itself as a monster (Earth/Level 4/Warrior/Effect/ATK 0/DEF ? )!" Out of the tablet appears a solemn soldier, wearing armor made out of ancient stone, and carrying a giant stone shield. "If thou declare an attack, the Guardian of the Reliquary summons itself in Defense Mode, with its defense becoming equal to thy monster's attack plus 500 (DEF: 3000). Then, thy monster is forced to attack it!"

Seto declares in disbelief, "No!" His Archfiend launches its attack at Critias', which uses its shield to send the attack back at Seto (Seto's LP: 2500).

Critias chuckles. "I suppose I'm not as unprepared as thou believed."

Seto grunts. "Fortunately for me, the boosts on my Plasma Archfiend last until the end of your next turn. I conclude my turn by putting down a facedown of my own (Seto's hand: 4)."

Critias calls for another tablet. As soon as he does, he has his first vision. He sees himself, as a dragon, becoming the Blue-Eyes Tyrant Dragon, and fighting alongside Kaiba. After the flash of a vision, he nods in understanding. "I see now, the visions have begun. I shalt see where they take me. Until then, I'll just set one more card, and then activate Statue of the Reliquary, which also becomes a monster (Earth/Level 3/Rock/Effect/ATK 1200/DEF 1500)." This monster is a clay sculpture, made to look like a soldier. "When I activate the Statue of the Reliquary, I can reduce the attack of one monster you control to zero, such as your Plasma Archfiend." A mysterious stream of energy seeps out of the Trap-Monster and surrounds the Plasma Archfiend (ATK: 0). Seto grunts. Critias continues, "Now Statue of the Reliquary, attack the Plasma Archfiend!" The statue suddenly comes alive, draws a sword, and slashes through Seto's monster (Seto's LP: 1300), before returning to a dormant state. "I think that's enough for one turn (Critias' hand: 3).

Seto draws. He thinks, _I have seen monsters that can also be traps before, but never have I heard of an entire deck based off of them. This duel will be an interesting one. _He looks to the card he drew. _And I have the perfect card to turn the tides with. _He declares aloud, "Your traps may also be monsters, but they are still Trap Cards, which means they have all the weaknesses of a Trap Card! I activate my facedown card, Plasma Invasion! At the cost of not being able to summon anything else this turn, this trap summons a level five or higher Plasma monster from my hand, such as the Plasma Wyvern (Light/Level 7/Dragon/Effect/ATK 2600/DEF 2200), and as a bonus, increases its level by one (Level: 8)! Even though your traps are monsters, this turn that won't be a good thing for you! I activate Plasma Hurricane! Since I control a level eight Plasma Monster, I can now destroy all Spell and Trap Cards you control! That includes your Trap-Monsters!" A storm of plasma begins to swirl around the wyvern.

Critias counters, "Not this time! I activate my Trap Tablet, Customs of the Reliquary! The mystic spell of this card was cast to protect the Reliquary, and as thus, as long as I control it, thou can't destroy my Continuous Trap Cards!"

Seto grunts. Trying to make the best of it, he then says, "At the very least, your new card can't protect itself! That means it is still destroyed!" The storm of plasma now brewing is unleashed upon Critias' single tablet, shattering it. "And now thanks to Plasma Hurricane, I gain 500 life points (Seto's LP: 1800). You may have avoided the force of my Spell Card, but you won't escape the force of my Monster Card! Plasma Wyvern, melt his Statue of the Reliquary!" The Plasma Wyvern attacks with its breath of blue Plasma.

Critias declares, "I activate my final facedown card, Mirrored Force of the Reliquary! Since thou declared an attack against my Reliquary monster, this card reflects thy attack and destroys all thy Attack Position monsters!" A sphere of energy surrounds the Statue of the Reliquary and reflects the wyvern's attack.

Seto grunts once again. He thinks, _He seems to have a Trap Card for every situation. Fine, it's time to put my Trap Cards up against his. _He then says, "I end my turn by setting two facedowns of my own (Seto's hand: 1)."

Critias draws. "I activate the effect of Guardian of the Reliquary! Now by tributing it I can activate a Trap Tablet straight from my hand! I activate the Golem of the Reliquary, summoning it as a monster (Earth/Level 6/Rock/Effect/ATK 2300/DEF 2000)!" This monster appears to be assembled from multiple stone artifacts stacked together in a humanoid form. "I'll also set two other tablets as well. Now, I shalt activate the effect of the Golem of the Reliquary! By tributing a Reliquary monster, like the Statue of the Reliquary, the Golem of the Reliquary can increase its attack by the attack of that monster!" The golem picks up the statue, and adds it to its conglomeration of parts (ATK: 3500). "Now Golem of the Reliquary, cry havoc and attack the Plasma Wyvern!"

Seto shakes his head. "No, it is time for the tides of battle to turn! The Plasma Tides to be more specific! I activate my Trap Card, Plasma Tides! This card stops your attack by destroying your monster, and then inflicts damage to you equal to half its attack!" A wave of plasma sweeps over Critias' field, destroying his monster (Critias' LP: 2250).

Critias now looks displeased. "Thou may hast caused me damage, but I will not yield. This duel is far from over."

Seto chuckles confidently. "Of course it's not over, I still have reduce your life points to zero. That will come later."

"We shalt see about that. I end my turn (Critias' hand: 1)."

Seto draws. "Just as I predicted, the tides of battle have changed in my favor. I summon Plasma Field (Light/Level 2/Thunder/Union/ATK 400/DEF 400)." The monster is a nimbus cloud of yellow plasma. "Now Plasma Field, equip yourself onto the Plasma Wyvern!" The cloud of plasma wraps itself around Seto's wyvern, merging with it. "This monster grants the wyvern an extra 400 Attack Points, as well as an extra two levels (ATK: 3000) (Level: 10). Now Plasma Wyvern, attack Critias directly!" The wyvern prepares to attack with its breath of plasma.

Critias counters, "I activate another Trap Tablet! Idol of the Reliquary! It too becomes a monster upon activation (Earth/Level 4/Rock/Effect/ATK 1800/DEF 1800)!" This monster is stone statue similar in shape and form to the Japanese Dogu statue. "When you attack my Idol of the Reliquary, it automatically destroys your monster."

Seto is unfazed. "Regardless, continue your attack Plasma Wyvern!"

Critias is shocked. "Why would thou continue thy attack if it means the destruction of thy monster!?"

"Because by destroying the Plasma Field monster, I can prevent the destruction of the Plasma Wyvern!" The yellow plasma surrounding the wyvern dissipates (ATK: 2600) (Level: 8), and the wyvern attacks, shattering the idol (Critias' LP: 1450).

"Since thou just destroyed one of my Reliquary monsters, I can activate my trap, Jar of the Reliquary! This card allows me to add two tablets to my hand." Critias does so.

"Draw all you'd like, I'm satisfied with my turn (Seto's hand: 1)."

Yuni comments, "This duel is very interesting to watch."

Brutus asks, "Why's that?"

"When Timaeus and I dueled, we were equally matched. We traded attacks blow for blow. Seto and Critias are evenly matched, but in a different way. First Critias was dominating the duel, but now Seto has caused a role reversal."

Celestia nods. "It's indicative of their heritage from Prince Seto. Both of them duel by attempting to gain complete control and overwhelming the opponent. Now they fight to see who can overwhelm better."

Critias adds another tablet to his hand. "There is nothing for me to do save setting a card and concluding my turn (Critias' hand: 3). No sense dragging it out."

"I see you're anxious to get this duel over with, which means you're eager to lose. I can help you with that." Seto draws. "I activate Pot of Greed and draw two cards!" He does so, and then grins at his new cards. "I am about to honor you with my next monster, but first I must summon the Plasma Star (Light/Level 5/Pyro/Effect/ATK 2100/DEF 0), which can be special summoned because I control a Plasma monster that is at least level five. Now for the main event! I tribute my level eight Plasma Wyvern and level five Plasma Star in order to summon the ultimate dragon! I summon the Cosmic Plasma Dragon (Light/Level 8/Dragon/Effect/ATK 3000/DEF 2500), scourge of your life points! Now Cosmic Plasma Dragon, attack Critias directly, Plasma Stream of Destruction!"

Critias shouts, "I activate my ultimate Trap Tablet! Come forth, Legendary Dragon of the Reliquary (Earth/Level 8/Dragon/Effect/ATK 3000/DEF 2500)!" Everyone in the room gasps. The dragon has the same shape as the Cosmic Plasma Dragon and the Blue-Eyes White Dragon. It seems to have been carved out of ancient stone. "Thou are not the only with a dragon on their side!"

As he says this, both duelists are dragged into a vision. They see a dark cave. Wandering through it is Prince Seto as a young child. He calls out, "Hey monster spirits! I'm not afraid of you! Come and get me!" In response, several shadowy creatures, similar to the one seen chasing Prince Yu-Gi-Oh in Yuni and Timaeus' vision, appear behind him and lunge at him. Seto runs forward. He shouts, "Maybe I spoke too soon!"

Suddenly a familiar roar is heard. It is the roar shared by the Blue-Eyes White Dragon and the Cosmic Plasma Dragon. In a brilliant display of light, a majestic dragon appears. It seems to be made out of a silver light with some gold highlights. Its eyes flash every color of the rainbow. It is the same dragon seen in Seto's vision from when he dueled Celestia, which Prince Seto used to save her when they first met. The dragon roars again and then attacks with a breath of rainbow energy. The rainbow flames lick at the creatures, sending them running for cover.

Prince Seto looks up to the monster with surprise and awe. He seems to be speechless.

The vision ends. Seto and Critias stare at each other for a moment. They both quickly shake it off. Seto declares, "Cosmic Plasma Dragon, cancel your attack!" The dragon follows orders and stops preparing its attack."

Critias nods. "Wise of you. My dragon is more than a match for thy dragon."

Seto shakes his head. "No monster is a match for my Cosmic Plasma Dragon." He sets a card (Seto's hand: 0).

Critias adds a tablet to his hand. "Then I suppose it is fortunate that my dragon is technically a trap, not a monster. The effect of the Legendary Dragon of the Reliquary allows me to activate Reliquary Trap Tablets the turn I set them. So I shalt set and then immediately activate Metal Transformation of the Reliquary! Once this trap is activated it equips onto one of my Reliquary monsters, granting it 100 Attack Points for every Trap Tablet in my grave. I currently possess seven traps in my grave, meaning that the Legendary Dragon gains 700 Attack Points (ATK: 3700)!" The stone exterior of the dragon is transformed into a silvery metal. "Now Legendary Dragon of the Reliquary, attack the Cosmic Plasma Dragon with Ancient Stream of Destruction!" The dragon takes a deep breath in and prepares to attack.

Seto shouts, "I activate Dragon Soul! This card prevents my Dragon-Type monsters from being destroyed by battle!" Critias' dragon attacks with a viscous breath, but it does nothing when it hits Seto's dragon (Seto's LP: 1100).

Critias nods with respect. "I can tell that thou values thy dragon, and I respect that. I feel the same towards mine own. Despite that, we shalt not give in (Critias' hand: 3)."

Seto draws. "And neither will we." He looks over his hand. _With only one card, and that one card being a Trap Card, there is nothing that I can do now. _He looks to the two dragons, standing in almost mirrored poses of each other. _I think this one card should be enough though. _He then declares aloud, "This duel is all about our dragons now. Yours may be more powerful than mine for now, but I promise it won't stay like that! I set a card and end my turn (Seto's hand: 0)!"

Critias nods. "Indeed, it will be a dragon that determines which of us is to be the victor." He adds a tablet to his hand. He gasps at what it is. A closer view reveals that it is the Fang of Critias. He thinks, _This tablet, it's just like the one Timaeus played! _Suddenly all of his lost memories flood into his head. He first remembers falling to the ground, with Hermos next to him. Dartz, standing above them raises his Sword of Kings and seals them away as dragons. He then remembers being unsealed by Kaiba. In several consecutive memories, he remembers becoming the Mirror Force Dragon, Doom Virus Dragon, and Tyrant Burst Dragon. Then he remembers Kaiba falling to Dartz, and Yugi taking over the duel, immediately after which Yugi uses the power of Legend of Heart to turn him back into a knight. He then combines with Timaeus and Hermos to form the Knight of Destiny. Finally he remembers saying goodbye before leaving to return to the Monster Spirit World. He comes out of his memory montage breathing heavily and rapidly.

Timaeus asks, "Critias, dost thou remember now?"

Critias nods. "Yes, it has all come back to me…this alternate version of history."

Yuni says, "To us, that is not an alternate version of history, it is the way events actually transpired. Things have changed due to the evil of a dark entity known as Ottiuk. That's why we need your help to stop him."

Critias and Timaeus nod in understanding. Seto interrupts, "However, nothing's going to happen until I beat you."

Critias looks to Seto and says, "Thou say that as if thou is certain of victory. I assure thee it is not, for I activate the Fang of Critias! Now I combine it with my Metal Transformation of the Reliquary!" A second Critias appears, this one in dragon form. The metal surface is lifted off of the Legendary Dragon and absorbed into the Fang of Critias. Now it appears a metal-coated Critias. "I summon Metal Form Dragon (Earth/Level 8/Dragon/Fusion/ATK 2000/DEF 2000)! Now this mighty dragon amplifies the power of the Metal Transformation, granting 300 Attack Points to each of my monsters for every Trap Tablet in my grave! That's a boost of 2400 each (Metal Form Dragon's ATK: 4400) (Legendary Dragon's ATK: 5400)! Now Legendary Dragon of the Reliquary, attack the Cosmic Plasma Dragon again! Ancient Stream of Destruction!"

Seto grins. "You duel just like I do. That means you try to gain an advantage of overwhelming strength against your opponent. That's why I knew the card I set would work to my advantage! I activate Will of the Dragon! This card boosts the attack of one of my Dragon-Type monsters by the same amount as all of your monsters combined have over their original attack values! Since each of your monsters are gaining 2400 Attack Points, mine gets a boost of 4800 (ATK: 7800)! Counterattack now, Plasma Stream of Destruction!" The two dragons unleash their attacks, which collide midfield. After a moment of collision, the Cosmic Plasma Dragon's attack wins out, and destroys the Legendary Dragon of the Reliquary (Critias' LP: 0). Seto wins.

Critias nods. "I yield. I have been defeated, and I admit it. You were a worthy adversary."

Seto grins, but then admits, "As were you."

Brutus laughs. "Did I just hear that right? Did Seto Ossius just say that someone else was a worthy opponent?"

Seto, absolutely emotionless, responds, "Critias is just another part of my soul, so essentially he is me, and I am the only opponent worthy of me."

This annoys Brutus, everyone else laughs. Cosmo declares, "Now that both duels are over, we may return to present. Everyone, gather around me." Everyone does so, and Cosmo holds his arms into the air. He recites an incantation that cannot be understood, and then there is a flash of light. When the light dies down, they all are standing next to the temporal gate, back on the desert planet. Cosmo then says, "Now, let's all return to my ship, we must travel to the next temporal gate."


	13. Episode 120: The Millennium Era

Episode 120: The Millennium Era

_**Y.S.S. Yugoha's Legacy**_**, Interstellar Space, Present Day**

Yuni, Seto, Brutus, Tori, Timaeus, and Critias sit in the passenger hold of Cosmo's ship. Timaeus is looking out the window. He says, "This is incredible, with thy technology, thou can actually travel amongst the stars?"

Yuni shrugs. "It's not technically our technology, it's advanced technology from the planet that Cosmo and Celestia come from."

Critias says skeptically, "So, thou claims that not only can thou can travel the stars, but there are more worlds like Earth?"

Yuni nods. "We didn't know until recently either."

Tori adds, "For most of our history there was debate over whether or not there was life outside of Earth, but now we know."

Celestia walks into the room and says, "Alright, it won't be long now until we make it to the planet holding the next temporal gate."

Brutus asks, "If all we're going to do is travel through time again, why didn't we just stay on the last planet and use the time machine?"

Seto then states, "The brute may be on to something there. For that matter, if we have a time machine, instead of wasting all this time traveling back to different eras, why don't why we just travel back a few weeks, before this Ottiuk made his power play? We could defeat him then, and stop him from ever taking over Earth in the first place."

Celestia shakes her head. "Sadly, it doesn't work that way. Time is the domain of Chronos, and Chronos does not appreciate mortals tampering with it. It was only with great reluctance that the power of the temporal gates was granted to Yugoha, and even then, it was only to be used for the most restricted of tasks. Each temporal gate is specifically keyed for a certain time and place. We can change the temporal reference frame by small amounts, meaning that each gate can only send us to one place, so we must travel from gate to gate, and cannot travel to other times."

Cosmo calls out from the cockpit, "Strap in everyone, I'm preparing to imitate the landing sequence." Celestia returns to the cockpit and everyone else braces themselves.

* * *

**Unnamed Planet**

Cosmo's ship has landed on a large metal platform that seems to be floating in the middle of an endless ocean. In the center of the platform is another temporal gate. Cosmo and Celestia are working at activating it. Yuni asks, "Where are we traveling next?" He stops and thinks for a moment, and then corrects, "When are we traveling next?"

Cosmo, without turning away from his work, responds, "The era of the pyramids. We're going to Ancient Egypt, 10,000 years ago in order to recruit Pharaoh Atem and Priest Seto."

Yugi exclaims excitedly, _I get to see Atem again!? This is great!_

Yuni thinks back, _I'm sure it's a long awaited reunion._

_ Yeah, I only knew Atem for less than two years, but he was the greatest friend I ever had. To see him again has been my dream ever since the last time I saw him._

Yuni responds slyly, _Was he a better friend than me?_

_ Hey, no fair._

Yuni chuckles, but no one seems to notice. Tori seems to also be getting excited. She says, "Oh my gosh, Atlantis may be the actual origin of Duel Monsters, but Ancient Egypt will always be it's true home. To witness a real Shadow Game would be unbelievable."

Brutus laughs. "You're such a nerd Tori."

She gives him a light punch in the side and laughs as well.

Celestia suddenly declares, "There, I have it. The temporal coordinates are locked in. If I did it right, this should place us right after the Zorc incident. We wouldn't want to have to deal with that."

Yugi remarks, _Not at all._

Cosmo says, "Alright, everyone through." He turns to Timaeus and Critias and says, "I would understand if you two do not want to come along. You are already out of your time, I wouldn't want to put any more strain on you."

Timaeus shakes his head. "Nay, we are comrades in arms now, where thee goes, we go."

Critias nods in agreement. "Besides, it is unbecoming of a knight to shy away from a challenge."

Cosmo nods. "Then let's go." He and Celestia move in first. Seto casually strolls in next. Timaeus and Critias nod at each other, and follow. This leaves Yuni, Tori, and Brutus, who all walk in at the same time.

On the other side of the gate, they find themselves in the middle of a vast desert. To the side is a large river. There seems to be nothing in sight. Brutus asks, "Where are we?"

Celestia responds, "It would seem that our coordinates where slightly off. I tried to place right next to the palace."

Critias says, "Do not blame thyself sweet Celestia, if the technology is as ancient as thou claims, thou art not to blame."

Cosmo says, "There's nothing to do but move forward." He points to the river. "The Pharaoh's Palace is in northern Egypt, so odds are that if we follow the Nile downstream, we'll end up either there, or in a village that can give us further instructions." Everyone nods in agreement and they set off.

After walking for some time, the group comes to a crawl. They all seem very tired. Brutus complains, "I'm so thirsty, I can't walk anymore."

Yuni says, "Come on Brutus, we've got to keep on moving."

Brutus is about to make a reply when a voice commands, "Halt, in the name of the Pharaoh! We have you surrounded, don't attempt to run!" All around them Egyptian royal guards come into sight.

Yuni, Seto, Timaeus, and Critias instantly prepare to fight, but Tori urges, "Wait, those are palace guards, they can bring us to palace, or at least the capital city." They relax their stances.

The lead guard shouts, "Good, now get down on the ground, so that we may inspect you."

They do as they're told. Yuni whispers to Tori, "What's going on? We didn't do anything."

Tori whispers back, "If Cosmo and Celestia put us in the right time, and we really are post-Zorc, then we'd be in a period of caution. Egypt was weakened by the attack, so they were afraid of invaders taking advantage of them. It was better not to be careful about strangers."

The head guard walks closer and snaps, "Be quiet, no talking during inspection." He looks them over and notices Yuni. "You, look up towards me!" Yuni does so. The guard leaps back in shock. "My Pharaoh! I'm so sorry. What are you doing this far from the palace?" Yuni grins. The guard takes a closer look. "Wait a second, you're not the pharaoh."

Another guard calls, "Hey, look! This one too!" The leader looks over to see the other guard pointing at Timaeus.

Another guard shouts, "And these two look just like the High Priest Seto."

The leader isn't sure what to say. After a moment he says, "I don't know what you have planned, but having four doppelgangers of our current and future Pharaoh is not benevolent. You're coming with us."

Seto states, "I say we fight now."

Cosmo says, "No, they'll take us straight to palace, right where we need to be." Seto grumbles with annoyance.

The guards chain all of them up and lead them off.

* * *

The guards throw the group down on the ground of an elegant building. The lead guard kneels and says, "My Pharaoh, we found these…strangers in the desert. We would have brought them to the dungeon, but we felt you had to see them to believe the story I have to tell you."

A familiar voice says, "You do not need to tell, I see it before my very eyes."

Yuni is the first to look up. Sitting in a throne in front of him is the Pharaoh Atem. He is not the only one there though. Standing in two lines on either side of him are five people. The one standing closest to Atem is Mana. She wears the Millennium Ring around her neck. Perhaps more surprising is the one across from her. He holds the Millennium Scale, and looks identical to Ma'at, only of a darker skin tone and wearing white robes. There is also a girl with long black hair wearing the Millennium Necklace, an older man with the Millennium Eye replacing one of his own, and another man, this one tall and muscular, wearing the Millennium Key around his neck. All of them are equipped with the Ancient Egyptian equivalent of a Duel Disk, known as a DiaDhank.

Atem looks them over with intense interest. He says, "I never thought I would see such a sight."

The one that looks like Ma'at bends over and whispers in his ear, "My Pharaoh, this could be a sign of a coming invasion. We should execute these sorcerers immediately."

Atem shakes his head. "Now Isfet, I have told you that as a High Priest, you must be more open minded."

The man, Isfet, shakes his head. "I'm sorry my Pharaoh, but it is my sworn duty to protect you, and I must remain cautious in order to do so."

Yuni suddenly shouts out, "Pharaoh Atem, I'm here with Yugi!"

The five High Priests suddenly move to protect Atem. Atem seems as if he is about to respond to this comment positively, but then says, "I know not of this Yugi you speak of."

Yugi, sounding both shocked and hurt, cries out, _What!?_

The guards all move to surround them. Mana suggests, "Why don't we try the Millennium Trial? If they possess magic strong enough to create such duplicates, they probably also possess powerful Monster Spirits."

Atem nods. "We cannot perform the Millennium Trial without Seto and his Millennium Rod. We will have to wait until he returns. In the meantime, place them in the dungeon." The guards instantly move to take them away.

* * *

They have all been thrown in a jail cell in the dungeon now. Timaeus and Critias have had their swords confiscated, and the duelists have had their Duel Gauntlets taken. They're all just sitting around, not sure what to do. Yugi, still reeling with disbelief, asks _How could Atem not remember me?_

Yuni decides to ask Cosmo, "How come Atem didn't seem to know Yugi? If we really are after Zorc's attack, then he should remember Yugi helping, right?"

Cosmo shakes his head. "No, it's not that simple. Remember that originally, Yugi was never in Ancient Egypt, and Atem had to fight Zorc on his own. Without the assistance of Yugi, the only solution was to seal Zorc away, while also sealing himself in the process. In that form of events, everything around us would be different as, most obviously, the Pharaoh wouldn't be here. When Yugi and his friends traveled back in time to stop Zorc, they created an alternate timeline where they helped Atem to defeat Zorc using the power of the Creator of Light. After defeating Zorc in this timeline, Atem then disappeared in order to return to Yugi's time. Now this newly created alternate timeline was not a natural one, for it wasn't literal time travel, rather it was traveling into the Pharaoh's memories. However, the mystic properties of this alternate timeline still had an effect in the actual timeline, and created a true alternate timeline. In this alternate timeline, events transpired exactly the same as Yugi knows them, except without his direct influence, and Atem managed to summon the power of the Creator of Light without having ever known Yugi. Since he didn't know Yugi, he didn't disappear to return to his time at the end of it all. Because we needed to recruit Atem, but avoid an encounter with Zorc, we used the temporal gate to travel to this alternate timeline."

Brutus looks dumbfounded. All he can say is, "Time travel…" with disdain.

Yugi says mournfully, _So this version of Atem doesn't even know that I exist._

Yuni tries to cheer him up, _Don't worry about it, once I duel him, he'll remember everything, remember?_

Yugi sounds slightly optimistic, _Yeah, you're right._

Tori then says, "So Yugi, through Yuni, has told me that before he disappeared, Atem relinquished his kingdom to Priest Seto. If events in this timeline transpired the same way, then why is Atem still the Pharaoh?"

Cosmo explains, "This timeline is only the same as what Yugi knows up to the moment right before Atem disappeared. Of course in Yugi's version of events, the disappearance of a Pharaoh would mandate his immediate replacement. Since Atem did not disappear in this timeline, we find ourselves in the middle of the bureaucratic process of succession. Priest Seto must be trained before he can take over as Pharaoh, which is probably why he was not present in the courtroom."

Yuni then asks, "Alright, one last question. One of Atem's High Priests looked just like Ma'at. Come to think about it, history is full of reincarnations beyond just Prince Seto and Yu-Gi-Oh. Hermos looked like Yugi's friend Joey, half of the original Pharaoh's court were people that Yugi knew in his time."

Seto adds, "Kodane looks like Anik, who also looks like Seto Kaiba's brother Mokuba."

Celestia takes a turn to explain things. "Yes, many spirits beyond those of Prince Seto and Prince Yu-Gi-Oh have been reincarnated over the millennia. It is a side effect of the spell used to split the souls of Seto and Yu-Gi-Oh. Occasionally, another soul will develop a bond with one or both of the incarnations, causing them to hijack the spell in a way. Both Yu-Gi-Oh and Seto were comrades with Thoth, which lead to the creation of Ma'at in your time and the one called Isfet in this time. Prince Seto's strong brotherly bonds with Anik lead to Mokuba and Kodane, in this case, the original bond was so strong that Anik was reincarnated as an actual brother of Seto in both cases. The residual effects of the Another Hope spell are so strong that even new souls encountered by the reincarnations could latch on, such as Hermos becoming Joey or Shimon becoming Yugi's grandfather."

Seto, sounding annoyed, states, "We can sit here swapping stories and debating the past for all the time we want, but meanwhile a madman is taking over the galaxy. I suggest we figure out what we're going to do next."

Critias nods. "I agree. The time for action is at hand."

Brutus then stands up and declares, "Alright, it's time for a jailbreak!"

Yuni grabs him and pulls him down while everyone shushes him. Yuni asserts, "You don't want the guards to hear that, do you?"

Brutus nods in understanding. "Oops, sorry."

Yuni then asks, "Alright, what should we do? We could just escape, which we certainly could do, and force our way to the Pharaoh's courtroom. Once there, I could challenge him to a duel. Once his memories of Yugi return, he would be on our side, and could clear our names."

Cosmo responds, "The problem with that is the High Priests. They all command powerful monster spirits, as well as the Millennium Items. It is their job to protect the Pharaoh, and it's not certain that we could defeat all five of them."

Tori weighs in, "I've been thinking about it. If we can prove that we command monster spirits as well, the High Priests will be obliged to perform the Millennium Trial on the spot in order to eliminate the danger to the Pharaoh. But they can't do that because they lack the Millennium Rod to coax the spirits out of us. I've read of one situation where the Millennium Puzzle was used in place of the Millennium Rod. That would require that they bring us before Atem."

Brutus asks, "So we'd want to be captured by the High Priests?"

Tori nods. "That just about sums it up."

Cosmo thinks it over. "It is a risk, but it seems acceptable to me." Everyone else nods in agreement. Cosmo then says, "Alright, let's get out of here."

Yuni gets up and says, "Allow me." He walks over to the cell door and his hand begins to glow. He places it up against the lock, causing it to melt away. The door swings open. Everyone gets up to leave.

Almost immediately several guards run into the dungeon. One shouts, "Halt, in the name of the Pharaoh!"

Celestia steps forward and says, "Sorry about this," and casts some sort of spell that causes all of the guards to fall asleep.

* * *

In the courtroom, the woman wearing the Millennium Necklace suddenly gasps. Atem asks, "Renpet, what is it?"

She responds, "My necklace, it has warned me, the prisoners have escaped the dungeon and are on their way here now."

Mana asks, "Should I alert the guards?"

Isfet says, "No, if these bandits have escaped so easily, they could be an even bigger threat than we believed. We should go after them." He turns to Atem. "If you would permit it my Pharaoh."

Atem nods. "Yes, take care of them with any means necessary." The High Priests bow to Atem and then turn to leave.

* * *

The group has made it out to the courtyard outside the palace. Brutus asks, "Where are all the guards? We haven't seen any since the dungeon. Maybe we'll make it all the way to Atem without the Priests."

As he finishes saying this, a voice declares, "Stop where you are!" They turn around to see the High Priests. The one who shouted is the older one with the Millennium Eye.

Yuni says, "Alright, let's show them some monster spirits."

Cosmo steps forward and declares, "Assist me, Celestial Archlord of Genesis!" Cosmo's monster spirit appears.

The High Priests are surprised. Mana exclaims, "They do have monster spirits, and they can control them!"

The old one declares, "Millennium Eye, reveal to me the secrets that they hold!" His eye glows and he gazes upon them. He looks over them seeing nothing in Tori, Brutus, Seto, Cosmo, and Celestia, but then he looks to Yuni and sees a swirling vortex of light and darkness, representing his Chaos powers. Then he looks to Timaeus and Critias and gasps. With an intense glowing form, he sees Plato and Socrates within them.

Isfet asks, "What is it Master Weneg?"

Weneg responds by pointing at Timaeus and Critias. "In my short time of wielding the Millennium Eye, never have I even believed a person could host monster spirits as powerful as those two, and never did I think I would! They are nearly as powerful as the Egyptian Gods themselves, if not their equal!"

Mana exclaims, "But that's impossible!"

Renpet says, "We have no choice, we must perform the Millennium Trial."

Weneg nods. "We do have one option. The Pharaoh's own Millennium Puzzle can be used as a replacement for the Millennium Rod in the Millennium Trial."

The holder of the Millennium Key says, "Then let us do that."

Yuni looks at everyone, and they all smile and nod at each other. They then throw up their hands and Yuni says, "We surrender."

The High Priests look confused. Weneg states, "My eye senses no deceit in their words."

Renpet adds, "And I see of no problems in the future."

Isfet declares, "Then let's bring them in to the Pharaoh." They move to chain up the group, making sure to first secure Timaeus and Critias.

* * *

Meanwhile, Atem sits alone in his courtroom. He appears to be deep in contemplation. He thinks, _The stranger said he came with one known as Yugi…Never before have I heard that name, but something about it…as if from a different life, makes me feel as if I should know it. Yugi…who is Yugi…?_


	14. Episode 121: The Once Nameless Pharaoh

Episode 121: The Once Nameless Pharaoh

**Egypt, 10,000 Years Ago**

Yuni and the others have been captured. They are bound in chains and being led by the Pharaoh's High Priests into the courtroom. Critias says with discontent beneath his breath, "Never in all my years as a knight hast I been captured before, and now I hast been made prisoner twice in half as many days."

Yuni reminds him, "It's the quickest way to get to Atem. We had no other choice."

Isfet snaps, "Quit prisoners! You will show silence in front of the Pharaoh, unless you are first spoken to!"

Yuni and Critias stop. They, along with everyone else, are tossed on the ground in front of Atem's throne. Atem asks, "Why have these prisoners been brought back before me? They should have been returned to the dungeon."

The High Priests kneel. Weneg answers, "My Pharaoh, I have seen it with my own eye." He points to Yuni, Timaeus, and Critias. "Those three all possess a mystical power connected to spirits. The two wearing armor have monster spirits greater than any I have ever seen, perhaps spirits just as powerful as the Egyptian Gods themselves."

Atem gasps. "That's not possible."

"But it is, I have seen it for myself. We must perform the Millennium Trial immediately, and take these spirits for ourselves."

The Pharaoh nods in contemplation. "So be it." He looks to Yuni and says, "One who looks like me, just tell me one thing: who is Yugi?"

Yuni's eyes widen. Yugi exclaims, _He must remember something about me!_

Yuni responds, "I could tell you, but you wouldn't believe me. Instead, how about I challenge you to a duel?"

The High Priests all gasp. Atem's eyes glaze over. "I accept your challenge." Suddenly the very fabric of space around them begins twist in on itself. Within moments the time travelers and Atem have been transported to the realm outside of time. Yuni and everyone else have been freed from their restraints. Yuni steps forward. Atem demands, "Who are you? What is this place? What just happened? Why did I accept your challenge?"

Yuni explains, "My name is Yuni, and we are from the future," he looks to Timaeus and Critias and adds, "and the past. We have traveled through time in order to get your help in dealing with a threat even more dangerous than Zorc."

Atem seems skeptical. "And this Yugi?"

"Yugi is also from the future. As we duel, your hidden memories of him will unlock."

"And by duel… you mean a Shadow Game?"

Yuni nods. He activates his Duel Gauntlet.

Atem declares, "Then I suppose that it's time to duel!" He holds his DiaDhank into the air and his Millennium Puzzle begins to glow. A vortex opens up above Atem, and five large stone tablets fall to land in the floor in front of him.

Yuni says, "You're the royalty, go ahead and take the first move."

Tori exclaims excitedly, "Oh my gosh, I'm actually going to get to watch the Pharaoh Atem play a Shadow Game!"

Brutus nods in agreement. He says excitedly, "They say that he was undefeated!"

Tori looks at him as if that was obvious. "Of course he was undefeated, if he lost, he would have lost his soul to the Shadow Realm."

Brutus nods in realization. "Oh…right."  
Atem declares, "You will regret allowing me the first move!" He raises his DiaDhank and the vortex opens up again, dropping another tablet. He beckons to the tablet that just fell. "I call upon the Millennium Clairvoyant (Light/Level 4/Psychic/Effect/ATK 0/DEF 0)!" The tablet turns to face Yuni and out of it appears a monster. It is a woman with black hair that goes down to the ground. She wears simple white robes, and around her neck is the Millennium Necklace.

Tori observes, "It seems like Atem's monsters are the spirits of the Millennium Items."

Atem continues, "I'll also set a tablet and end my turn (Atem's hand: 4)." A tablet positions itself so that it floats with its front facing the ground.

Yuni draws and declares, "Now that it's my turn, it's duel on! I summon the Cyber-Tech Soldier (Earth/Level 4/Warrior/Normal/ATK 1800/DEF 1000). Cyber-Tech Soldier, attack the Millennium Clairvoyant!" Yuni's monster raises its blade and charges.

Atem declares, "Use your power Millennium Clairvoyant!" The monsters holds her hands up to her necklace as if she were using its powers, and the necklace glows (ATK: 1900). A barrier of energy appears around the monster right as Yuni's monster slashes. The blade is stopped, and the Cyber-Tech Soldier is destroyed (Yuni's LP: 3900).

Yuni asks, "What just happened!?"

Atem replies, "You just went up against the power of a Millennium Item. The power of the Millennium Necklace allows for the Millennium Clairvoyant to see into the future and react to your attack, raising its own power to be just more than yours."

Yuni grunts. Yugi warns, _We're going to have to duel carefully here. The power of the Millennium Items is no joke._

Yuni nods in agreement. "In that case, I'll have to set two cards to replace my fallen monster, and end my turn like that (Yuni's hand: 3)."

Atem grins confidently. "That is what you get for challenging the King of Egypt." He holds his DiaDhank into the air again , which summons another tablet from the vortex. As he does this, a look of shock suddenly covers his face.

He is taken into a vision of memories from another life. He sees Yugi sitting alone in his room, late at night. In front of him is an almost complete Millennium Puzzle. He holds it up to examine it and says to himself, "Grandpa sure is going to be surprised when he sees I finished this puzzle all by myself." He reaches into a box and pulls out the eye piece of the puzzle. "The last piece. This is it." He puts the final piece into its place. The puzzle begins to glow in his hands. "Awesome, I did it! The Millennium Puzzle's complete!" Suddenly there is a flash of light and shadows begin to fly out of the puzzle. Each shadow forms into a Duel Monster spirit. Yugi is shocked. The puzzle then glows again and Yugi shouts, "Yu-Gi-Oh!" He is transformed into Atem.

Atem declares, "Shadow Creatures, be gone! I command you! Return to the dark realm from whence you came!" The spirits return to the puzzle, and Atem turns back into Yugi, leaving Yugi standing in his room, not sure of what just happened. The vision ends.

Yuni asks, "What did you see?"

Atem, unsettled by the vision, replies, "I saw Yugi. I saw him complete my Millennium Puzzle and somehow call upon my spirit."

Yugi exclaims, _That's the first time we met! He remembers it now! Ask him if he remembers me now!_

Yuni conveys, "Does the name Yugi mean anything to you now?"

Atem shakes his head. "No, all I know of Yugi comes from that vision."

Yuni nods. "If we continue to duel, more lost memories will return to you."

Atem nods and returns his focus to the duel. He declares, "I activate my facedown tablet, Millennium Call. This tablet allows me to summon a level five or higher Millennium monster from my hand to join the one I already control. I call upon the Millennium Seer (Light/Level 5/Psychic/Effect/ATK 2200/DEF 2100)!" This monster is a tall and older man with gray hair. He also wears a white robe, but has a hood over his head. Glowing beneath his hood, wear one of his eyes would be, is the Millennium Eye. "Millennium Seer, show him the power of the Millennium Eye!" A flash of light comes from the eye, and Yuni's two facedown cards are flipped up. One of them is Mirror Force and the other is an unknown Cyber-Tech Trap Card.

Yuni asks, "And what do you intend to do now that you've seen my facedown cards?"

"The mind reading powers of the Millennium Eye do much more than reveal your secrets to me. They also allow me to avoid them by destroying one of them! Destroy Mirror Force!" A beam of energy is shot from the Millennium Eye to Yuni's Mirror Force, shattering it into nothing. "Now Millennium Seer, attack him directly!"

Yuni shouts, "I still have one trap left! I activate Cyber-Tech Deployment! As I'm sure your monster just showed you, this card allows me to intercept your attack with a Cyber-Tech monster of lower Attack Points from my deck. I summon the Cyber-Tech Gardna (Earth/Level 3/Warrior/Effect/ATK 0/DEF 2000) in Defense Mode!"

Atem declares, "Millennium Seer, continue your attack!" The monster attacks with another beam of energy from its eye.

"I activate the effect of Cyber-Tech Gardna! Once per turn, I can negate one of your attacks!" Yuni's defensive monster projects an energy barrier around itself, blocking the attack.

Atem nods. "I should have assumed that this would not be so easy. Fine then, at the end of my turn, the attack of the Millennium Clairvoyant is returned to normal (ATK: 0) (Atem's hand: 4)."

Yuni draws. "I summon Cyber-Tech Bombardier (Fire/Level 4/Machine/Effect/ATK 1400/DEF 100)!" The monster is a heavily and sturdily built android. It carries two bombs in its arms, and has several more strapped to its belt. "This monster holds an explosive secret, let's show the Pharaoh, attack the Millennium Seer!"

Atem objects, "But that would only destroy your own monster!"

"As I told you, explosive secret." The monster ignites the bombs in its hands and hurls them to Atem's side of the field. The bombs explode, wiping out his monsters. "You see, before it attacks, the Bombardier uses its bombs to wipes the field clean except for itself. The only downfall is the shockwave takes out life points from me equal to half of the destroyed monsters' attack." As he says this, shockwave from the blast sweeps past him (Yuni's LP: 2800). "Now Cyber-Tech Bombardier, let's continue your attack, directly!" The monster grabs another bomb and hurls it straight at Atem, where it explodes (Atem's LP: 2600).

Atem recovers quickly and declares, "From my hand, I activate the effect of the Millennium Commandant! Since you declared a direct attack, the monster can Special Summon itself to the field (Light/Level 4/Warrior/Effect/ATK 1900/DEF 700)!" The monster that appears is a man wearing elegant white robes. He has shorter brown hair, and holds the Millennium Rod. "When I summon it in this way, the Millennium Commandant uses the powers of the Millennium Rod to take control of the monster that attacked me directly!" The monster holds up its Millennium Rod and Yuni's once loyal monster moves to Atem's side of the field. "I'm afraid your monster works for me now."

Yuni grimaces. He thinks, _That was my only monster. _He then says aloud, "Fine, I will adapt. I set a card and end my turn (Yuni's hand: 2)."

Atem calls upon another tablet. "I tribute your Cyber-Tech Bombardier in order to summon my Millennium Decipherer (Light/Level 5/Spellcaster/Effect/ATK 2300/DEF 1200)!" This monster is a muscular and bald man wearing a plain white robe. Around his neck is the Millennium Key. "The power of the Millennium Key allows me to unlock your very soul, and see the mysteries within it, as such, the Millennium Decipherer allows me to see look at your hand and select a monster. As long as I control the Millennium Decipherer, you cannot summon that monster!" Yuni's hand is revealed via his Duel Screen flipping. Atem looks at the cards in his hand. He suddenly stops in surprise as he looks at the two cards. It's the Cyber-Tech Magician and Cyber-Tech Apprentice. He gasps in disbelief, "Those monsters!"

Suddenly, a new memory reveals itself to him. Atem and Yugi are dueling, it's their final duel. Atem controls the Dark Magician, and Yugi controls the Silent Magician. Yugi is declaring, "I activate Cards of Sanctity, so we each have to draw until we have six cards in our hand!" They draw. "That's not all! I activate my magician's special effect! With every card you draw, my Silent Magician's attack strength rises by 500 points!"

Atem gasps. "And I just picked up five new cards!"

Yugi exclaims, "Exactly, so my Silent Magician now has 3500 Attack Points!" The magician grows larger and more powerful. "Now, back to the duel! I believe your Dark Magician was about to attack!" The Dark Magician prepares to attack, despite its lack of power.

The Dark Magician Girl that is also on Atem's field turns to him and nods. Atem declares, "I activate my Magic Card: Magicians Unite! This allows me to join my two magician's together as one Spellcaster with 3000 points!" The Dark Magician Girl joins the Dark Magician's attack.

They attack, but Yugi shouts, "That's still not enough!" A flash of light from Yugi's Silent Magician destroys both monsters. The memory ends.

Atem is panting heavily. He says, "This…Yugi…I can tell he meant a lot to me. I sense a bond greater than I could ever comprehend. Even when we dueled as opponents, we were the best of friends…"

Yugi exclaims, _Yes Atem, yes! Remember me!_

Yuni says, "You see, there is more here than it seems."

Atem nods. "Indeed there is." He points at Yuni's Cyber-Tech Magician. "I seal away your Cyber-Tech Magician! If it has served you anywhere near to as well as my Magician has served me, I know that I'm making the right choice!" The card is grayed out, and returns to facing Yuni. "Now, Millennium Commandant, attack Yuni directly!" The monster raises its Millennium Rod and attacks with a beam of energy from it. The attack hits Yuni and knocks him back (Yuni's LP: 900). "Now finish this Millennium Decipherer!"

Yuni quickly gets up, recovers, and declares, "This isn't over yet! I activate Cyber Reinforcements! This card summons two Cyber Tokens to my field in Defense Mode (Earth/Level 1/Machine/Token/ATK 0/DEF 0)!" The attack from the Millennium Decipherer's key destroys one of the tokens instead.

Atem nods. "Alright, I end my turn (Atem's hand: 3)."

Yuni draws. He thinks, _I may not be able to summon my magician, but I can still make this work without him. _He says aloud, "I activate the Pot of Greed!" He draws two cards. "Now I tribute my remaining Cyber-Tech Token in order to summon the Cyber-Tech Apprentice (Dark/Level 6/Spellcaster/Effect/ATK 2000/DEF 1700)! Then I activate Cyber-Tech Fortification! This card equips on to my Cyber-Tech Apprentice, granting her an additional 700 points (ATK: 2700)! Now Cyber-Tech Apprentice, attack the Millennium Decipherer, Cyber Burning Attack!" The Cyber-Tech Apprentice casts its spell and attacks, destroying Atem's monster (Atem's LP: 2200). "Now I'll set this other card and end my turn (Yuni's hand: 1)."

Atem calls forth another tablet. "It is time for me to take this duel to the next level! I summon the Millennium Arbitrator (Light/Level 4/Spellcaster/Effect/ATK 1700/DEF 1700)!" This monster is a man with black hair, wearing complex white robes. His face is covered in Egyptian-styled tattoos. In his hand is the Millennium Scale. "When this monster is summoned, it uses the power of the Millennium Scale to judge the weight of my soul against a feather. If my soul outweighs it, I will be unworthy of its powers, and all of my monsters will be destroyed. If my soul is not heavier, then I get to summon a Millennium monster from my hand. Now Millennium Arbitrator, judge my soul!" The monster turns to face Atem and holds up its scale. On one side, a feather appears. After a moment of waiting, the side of the scale with the feather drops, the feather is heavier than Atem's soul. Atem nods. "Now I use its power to summon my servant and friend. Come to the field, Millennium Magician (Dark/Level 7/Spellcaster/Effect/ATK 2500/DEF 2100)!" The monster, at first glance, is the Dark Magician. However, upon closer inspection, it seems to have slightly different armor. Also, it has the face of Mahad, and wears the Millennium Ring around its neck.

Yugi gasps, _It's Mahad!_

Atem continues, "The power of the Millennium Ring points me in the direction of what I want most, in this case, another monster from my deck! By tributing the Millennium Arbitrator, I can summon one monster from my deck!"

The Millennium Magician declares in Mahad's voice, "I shall do as you wish my Pharaoh!" The Millennium Arbitrator is absorbed into the Millennium Ring, and the hanging spikes point towards the vortex that Atem's tablets come from. Another tablet falls.

"I summon the Millennium Pharaoh (Light/Level 6/Warrior/Effect/ATK 2400/DEF 1700)!" The new monster that appears dressed in elegant robes of royalty. Its head is covered by a mask that might be seen on a mummy's casket. It wears the Millennium Puzzle. "When I summon the Millennium Pharaoh, I can draw tablets equal to amount of Millennium monsters I control." He adds three tablets to his hand. "Then I'll activate the Spell Tablet, Millennium Spell! This tablet allows me to add one monster of the Divine Attribute to my hand!"

Yugi gasps, _He has three monsters on the field, and just drew cards! He's going for an Egyptian God Card!_

Atem declares, "Now, I call upon the power of the Gods of Egypt! I tribute my three monsters in order to summon Slifer the Sky Dragon (Divine/Level 10/Divine-Beast/Effect/ATK X000/DEF X000)!" Thunderclouds appear in the sky, and lightning strikes. The clouds open up and a ray of light shines down to Atem's field. From that light descends his Egyptian God Monster.

Everyone watching the duel looks at the monster with awe. Tori says with utter disbelief, "It really is Slifer…the Egyptian God…"

Atem declares, "I have four cards in my hand, meaning that Slifer's attack power is 4000 (ATK and DEF: 4000)!" The dragon god roars.

Yugi, still shocked, says, _The last time I was put up against Slifer was during our final duel…I never thought I would see it again like this…_

Atem continues, "However, the Egyptian Gods smile upon you today, as I cannot declare an attack the turn I use the Millennium Spell, so my turn is over (Atem's hand: 4)."

Yuni looks up at the monster with awe. He thinks, _If I'm going to fight a god, I'm going to need a god. _He takes a deep breath and draws. "I activate my facedown card, Cyber-Tech Magic! This card Special Summons a Cyber-Tech Spellcaster monster from my hand and adds one Cyber-Tech Spell Card from my deck to my hand. Now that your Millennium Decipherer is no longer on the field, I am free to summon the Cyber-Tech Magician (Dark/Level 7/Spellcaster/Effect/ATK 2500/DEF 2100)!"

Atem proclaims, "Since you have summoned a monster, the effect of Slifer the Sky Dragon activates, reducing your monsters power by 2000 points! Lightning Blast!" Slifer opens its second mouth and sends an orb of lightning at the Cyber-Tech Magician (ATK: 500).

Yuni doesn't seem to care. He continues, "Then with the second effect of Cyber-Tech Magic, I'll get the Cyber-Tech Spellbook of Time Travel, which I will immediately activate, sending this duel two turns into the future!" Using its spellbook, Yuni's magician casts its temporal magic. "Now, I tribute the Cyber-Tech Magician and Cyber-Tech Apprentice in order to summon a God Card of my own! Descend, Chronos, the Temporal Lord (Divine/Level 10/Divine-Beast/Effect/ATK X000/DEF X000)!" In a similar scene to what just happened, thunderclouds appear, and lightning strikes all around.

Brutus cheers, "Yeah, we're just about to see a clash of the titans!"

From the clouds the silhouette of Chronos appears. Atem's eyes widen. "That monster, it is no normal monster! It has the power of a god!" He looks to Yuni with shock and confusion.

Yuni nods and says, "You're not the only one with a God Card!" Chronos descends from the clouds. It now floats almost as a mirror to Slifer. Both dragon gods roar.

At the moment they roar, memories suddenly come flooding into Atem's mind. First he sees the alternate timeline in which Yugi helps him to defeat Zorc, then he sees his first encounter with Yugi again, then it's their first duel with Kaiba, followed by their duel with Bakura, where Yugi and Atem first came face-to-face. After that it's their duel with Pegasus, followed by their duel with Marik, and then their final duel. One last memory appears, it's Atem returning to the Spirit World after losing to Yugi.

The barrage of memories ends. Atem holds his head as if it hurts. He looks up to Yuni and asks, "You said that you came with Yugi… How?"

Yuni smiles, knowing what has happened. "Just like you shared bodies with Yugi, Yugi now shares a body with me." He taps his forehead. "He's right here in my mind. He says that he's so happy to see you again, and indescribably so that you now remember him."

Atem slowly nods. "From what I have seen of you, I can see Yugi within you. It is great to see you again too Yugi." Atem looks up to Chronos. "One thing that has not been explained by my lost memories is you or your beast."

Yuni grins. "I'll explain it after the duel. Speaking of my beast, it gains 1000 attack for every turn that has passed (ATK and DEF: 5000)."

Atem shouts, "Then it's too bad for you that power of Slifer's Lightning Blast will decrease that power by 2000!" Slifer opens its second mouth and uses its effect again. However, this time it merely hits Chronos and dissipates away, doing nothing. Atem is stunned. "What!? How is this possible!?"

"Just as your Slifer is immune to most card effects, so is my Chronos! Our two monsters are equals, meaning yours can't effect mine!"

Tori leans over to Cosmo and asks, "So why does Slifer look so much like Chronos anyways?"

Cosmo explains, "It is because Slifer is a part of Chronos. The Yugohan Lords are connected to the souls of the Princes. When their souls split and were sent across time, so too were the Yugohan Lord's. In Egypt, they became the Egyptian Gods. In Yugi's time, they remained in that form."

Tori asks, "What about in Atlantis?"

Cosmo looks over to Timaeus and Critias. "You've seen them already. Plato, Socrates, and Aristotle are the Atlantean incarnation of the Yugohan Lords. That is why they gave their lives to protect the knights." Tori nods in understanding. Cosmo adds, "Yuni just claimed that those two are equals, but he was wrong. Slifer is only a part, and Chronos is the whole."

Yuni declares, "Now, I activate the effect of Chronos, allowing us to travel an additional two turns into the future, further increasing its own power!" Chronos roars (ATK and DEF: 7000). "Now Chronos, attack with Temporal Force!"

Atem shouts, "We won't give in! Counterattack with Thunder Force!" Both dragon gods generate a massive orb of energy and unleash them at their opponent. The two attacks collide midfield. For a moment they appear evenly matched, but then Chronos' wins out, absorbs Slifer's and continues on to Slifer (Atem's LP: 0). Atem falls to his knees. "Even the power of the Gods of Egypt was not enough to defeat you. The only mortal I have ever seen destroy an Egyptian God is Yugi. You must have him inside of you."

Everyone suddenly reappears in the Pharaoh's courtroom. They are back in the positions they were before Yuni challenged the Pharaoh, as if he hadn't. Atem is back in his throne, and everyone else is back in chains.

Isfet declares, "Enough talk, let us begin the Millennium Trial!"

Atem shouts, "No!"

The High Priests look up to Atem with confusion. Isfet asks, "My Pharaoh, they have Monster Spirits. We must harness them."

Atem shakes his head. "No, these people are my guests, they are to be freed immediately and not harmed."

Mana walks up to Atem and asks, "Atem, are you sure you know what you're saying? These are strangers from a foreign land, and we have no reason to trust them."

Atem looks Mana in the eyes and says, "Mana, I know that you speak to me as a friend, and not one of my High Priests, so I ask you to trust me as a friend. I have just had a revelation from the Gods of Egypt themselves. These people are friends, not enemies."

Mana nods. "I understand." She turns to everyone else and calls out, "You heard the Pharaoh, release the prisoners!" Reluctantly, the High Priests move to unchain everyone.


	15. Episode 122: The Pyramid of Light

Episode 122: The Pyramid of Light

**Egypt, 10,000 Years Ago**

The scene is a large and shadowy chamber. The walls are inscribed with various cryptic hieroglyphics. In the center of the chamber is a raised alter. On that alter are two torches on either side, and a vat of some sort of black sludge that swirls around in the center. Standing before the alter is the silhouette of a large, muscular man. The man begins to chant a series of Egyptian words. As if reacting to his words the black sludge begins to swirl and twist on itself faster and with more energy. The chant becomes more aggressive and energetic. The sludge moves faster still. After another moment of this, the sludge begins to behave oddly. The center of it begins to rise up, as if attempting to take a form. After a few more moments, it does. The sludge now drips off of the solid form beneath it, revealing a man completely covered in black robes, wearing a white mask. The mask has a hole where his left eye might be, but where the eye should be all that can be seen is a swirling vortex of shadows. The figure declares, "I have been reborn!"

The silhouette asks, "How does it feel to breathe once more Master Aknadin…or do you prefer the title Great Shadow Magus?"

The man, certainly Aknadin in his Shadow Magus form, demands, "Who are you?"

"I am the Egyptian Lord of the Dead." He steps out of the shadows. "But you may call me Anubis."

Aknadin recoils in shock. He says in disbelief, "Anubis…the Lord of the Dead…how could this be?"

The man is the very same Anubis fought by Yugi and Atem in their time, but with one major difference. The Pyramid of Light is not around his neck. He says, "What other being would have the power to bring you back from you back from oblivion?"

"I thought that my Lord Zorc had brought me back."

Anubis laughs. "Zorc the Dark One has been destroyed by the Pharaoh Atem."

"No, I don't believe it! Zorc is the ultimate power!"

"Not any more. Now you are all that remains of his power, which is part of the reason I need you."

"Part?"

"I also need a very specific skill of yours. I need you to forge me a Millennium Item, one even more powerful than the Pharaoh's Millennium Puzzle."

Aknadin declares, "Impossible! I cannot just go and forge another Millennium Item! Besides, I have no reason to help you."

"But you do. I know what you want more than anything. You want your son Seto to be the Pharaoh." Aknadin gasps. "Right now, the Pharaoh claims that once your son finishes the necessary training, that he will relinquish the throne to him, but he lies. He has no intention of giving up his power."

Aknadin grunts. "Of course he doesn't. He's no better than his wretched father."

"All I want is to destroy the Pharaoh. You help me to acquire the power I need to do so, then I promise that your son will become the next Pharaoh of Egypt."

Aknadin pauses to think this over. "Fine, I will help you. However, in order to create another Millennium Item, I will require the Millennium Spellbook, which is locked deep underground in a vault beneath the castle. In addition, I will require 99 souls of darkness."

"We will retrieve the Millennium Spellbook with ease. As for the souls, I am the Lord of the Dead. I can provide you 1,000 souls."

Aknadin nods. "Then we have a deal." He extends his hand and Anubis shakes it. Their pact is sealed by shadows twisting around their hands.

* * *

Aknadin and Anubis stand on the outskirts of the Pharaoh's castle. Both wear tan traveler's cloaks to conceal their identities. Anubis states, "It's time for the first test of your value. How are we going to get in?"

Aknadin laughs. "If that's all that's necessary, then I'm of more use to you than you think. You forget that I was once a trusted advisor and High Priest to the Pharaoh. I know the palace inside and out. Add the powers of Zorc, and breaking in will be no problem at all. Let us begin." He waves his left hand, and for a moment the entire palace becomes cloaked in shadows. Then the shadows lift.

Anubis asks, "What did you do?"

"We don't want any interference from those pesky Millennium Items, particularly the Millennium Necklace, which would alert the Pharaoh of our presence. I just cast a spell that blocks the Millennium Necklace's precognitive powers. Now, follow me." Aknadin moves towards the castle, Anubis follows.

The two casually walk to the base of the palace walls. They duck behind a piece of the wall that blocks them from the view of the guards at the front gate. Aknadin says to himself, "Now to simply incapacitate the guards." He peeks around the corner to cast his spell, but is surprised by what he sees.

Anubis asks, "What is the matter?" He peers around to see for himself. The four guards positioned at the front gates are unconscious. He looks up to the top, where he sees two more guards, also unconscious. "It would appear that someone made it here before us."

Aknadin asks, "But who? This changes things."

Anubis shakes his head. "No, it changes nothing. I need that Millennium Spellbook, and so do you if you want to dethrone the Pharaoh."

Aknadin nods. "In that case someone is doing our work for us." He moves to enter the gates, Anubis follows. Aknadin leads them through a guardless courtyard and to a stairwell going down attached to the side of the building. They go down. On the way down, Aknadin grabs a torch off the wall for light. He says, "Ahead of us is a labyrinth of tunnels stretching all across the palace complex and beyond. Since Shimon and my brother are gone, I am the only one who knows the way to the Millennium Spellbook." He leads Anubis forward.

After taking a few turns they encounter more unconscious guards. Anubis states, "I thought you were the only one who knew the way."

"I am. This must just be a coincidence." He continues forward.

The two continue to walk for a while longer, finding more unconscious guards along the way. A little while longer and Aknadin stops. "We're almost there now." He inspects the walls. They are carved with hieroglyphics. He looks to one set in particular, showing the hieroglyphic versions of the Egyptian God Cards, arranged so that they form a pyramid. In the middle of their pyramid is an eye, as seen on the Millennium Items. Aknadin rubs a finger against the eye. The moment he does so, the wall begins to shake.

Anubis demands, "What have you done!?"

"I have revealed the location of the Millennium Spellbook." The rumbling wall begins to move, sliding to the side, revealing an antechamber.

Anubis forces Aknadin out of his way and steps into the chamber. Aknadin follows. Sitting on a pedestal in the center of the chamber is the Millennium Spellbook. Anubis declares, "The power that created the Millennium Items is now under my control." A shadow moves in back of the torch-lit room. Anubis demands, "Who's there!? Reveal yourself!"

A voice responds, "Do not fear, for I am an ally, we share the same goals." A figure steps out of the shadows and picks up the Millennium Spellbook. It is Otto, dressed as, and with the skin color of, an Egyptian. "My name is Otuamen." He holds the book out for Anubis to take.

Anubis looks at him suspiciously. "You're the one who knocked out the guards. Why?"

"As I said, we share a goal. If anything, I want to destroy the Pharaoh more than you do. However, I have learned that to directly fight him would be a mistake, so I'll let you do it for me." He begins to fade away and disappear. "Oh, and by the way, you'll find it easier to read that book now." He vanishes.

Anubis and Aknadin look to each other. Anubis finally says, "It does not matter how we got it, all that matters is we now possess the power to defeat the Pharaoh once and for all. Let us return to my dwelling."

* * *

Back in Anubis' temple, Aknadin has set the Millennium Spellbook down on a pedestal. He looks at it with anticipation. He says, "My priests worked long and hard for many years to translate this ultimate spellbook of Darkness. It has been said since the time of the first Pharaoh that whomever deciphers the book's ancient texts would be able to control a power known only by the Egyptian Gods themselves. After our years of work, we were able to decipher a single spell: the spell to create the Millennium Items." He opens the book to a random page. He recoils with shock. "Impossible!"

Anubis demands, "What is it!?"

"The book…it has been translated!"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that ancient text has been changed into standard hieroglyphs. I can read all of the spells." He begins to flip through the pages frantically."

Anubis thinks it over. "That must be what Otuamen meant when he said it would be easier to read. Now that we are no longer limited to merely the spell to construct a Millennium Item, we have far more power than the Pharaoh could ever imagine!"

Aknadin nods. He stops at a spell that interests him. "Allow me to test a spell, and see if it works." He begins to incant a spell in Egyptian. The void of shadows that replaces his missing eye suddenly begins to glow.

* * *

In the Pharaoh's courtroom, Yuni and his friends have just been unchained. Isfet asks, "My Pharaoh, why do you suddenly trust these strangers?"

Atem responds, "I have just had an experience, one that is indescribable. I know that these people are not enemies of Egypt. They have come to help save us from a great threat. Now, our first course of action must be to send a message to Priest Seto. He is needed here immediately."

Weneg responds, "It will be done-" he suddenly interrupts himself by shouting in pain. He doubles over.

Mana asks with worry, "Master Weneg, is something the matter?"

He continues to cry out for another moment, then slowly stops. He slowly looks up, covering the left side of his face. He shouts, "My eye! My Millennium Eye!" Everyone gasps.

* * *

Aknadin finishes his chant, and the Millennium Eye materializes right where it used to be. He begins to laugh. "My eye has returned! I now have my full power!" He continues to laugh.

Anubis, losing his patience, snaps, "Enough of this! You will make me my Millennium Item now!"

Aknadin ceases his laughter and nods. "Yes, of course." He flips through the book. "The spell to create a Millennium Item is right here. You will need 99 souls."

"I will provide you with 999 souls instead."

Aknadin nods. "We also need the gold to infuse with the souls."

"Once again, I can do better. We will make my item out of platinum.

"That should serve as an even greater conduit for the spiritual energy."

"One more thing." Anubis presents a single round, red jewel. "This jewel has a portion of my very soul infused into it. I want you to combine its power with that of the item."

Aknadin takes the gem. "That can also be done. Now, leave me to my work."

The following scene is a montage of Aknadin's work on the item. He melts down a large amount of platinum in a vat over a fire. Anubis chants a spell, and spiritual energy can be seen flowing into the vat. Aknadin mixes it. Aknadin then takes the vat and pours it into a mold. As it's setting, he chants his own spell.

After that, Aknadin says to Anubis, "The item is nearly complete. I think you'll grow quite fond of it. Now that it is still taking solid form, this is the optimal time to cast any additional spells on it, in order to strengthen its power."

Anubis nods. "There are two spells I want placed on it. The first, is to link it to the Pharaoh's own Millennium Puzzle. That way he can't hope to defeat me when I have direct access to his power. As for the second," he looks down to the spellbook and turns it to the very last page. It shows an image of the Egyptian Gods in hieroglyphic form.

Aknadin nods, pleased with Anubis' choice of spells. "Yes…I can do that."

* * *

The spells have been cast. Aknadin declares, "It is ready. The item has set, and we may now remove it from its mold."

Anubis responds, "You may do the honors. I want to be able to see my Millennium Item as you remove it."

Aknadin nods. He takes a hammer and chisel, and positions them on the side of the cast. He hammers the chisel, causing the mold to break apart, revealing the item inside. It is the Pyramid of Light. The red jewel within its eye is the spirit gem that Anubis gave Aknadin. Aknadin declares proudly, "I present to you your very own Millennium Item."

Anubis shakes his head. "No, this item has transcended the status of a Millennium Item, it has become so much more. I shall call it the Pyramid of Light." He walks over to it and pulls out a piece of string. He puts it through the hoop on the top of the pyramid and ties it on. He then picks it up and puts it around his neck as a necklace. The moment it settles on his chest, the item glows brilliantly for several moments. He then declares, "Pharaoh Atem, your time is up! It is time for your existence in this world to come to an end, so declares I, Anubis, the Lord of the Dead!" He begins to laugh maniacally.

* * *

Yuni and everyone else are standing in a corridor of the palace, right outside of a room. Isfet is keeping watch over them, still apparently not trusting them. Brutus asks, "What do you think happened to him?"

Yuni shakes his head. "I don't know, it seemed like something was wrong with his Millennium Eye."

Tori suggests, "The Millennium Items were known for having a lot of dark energy, which would sometimes manifest as various side-effects. Maybe Master Weneg wasn't strong enough to keep the dark energies in check. After all, he's only had the Millennium Eye for a few weeks now."

Yugi says, _That's a possibility, but it seems unlikely. They would have made sure he could handle its power before giving it to him. Even if he couldn't, and still got it, it would have instantly rejected him, and destroyed him on the spot._

Yuni relays, "Yugi doesn't think so. The Millennium Items just don't work that way."

Mana peeks out from the doorway. She says, "Master Weneg's condition has stabilized. You may come in now."

Everyone moves to get in, Isfet follows, keeping a close eye on them. Once inside, they see Weneg lying on a mat on the floor. The remaining High Priests and Atem are gathered around him. Weneg's left eye is covered by bandages. He is unconscious.

Yuni asks, "What happened to him?"

Atem shakes his head in disbelief, and says, "Somehow, someway, Weneg's Millennium Eye has been stolen from him."

Yuni exclaims, "Stolen!? How is that possible?"

Atem responds, "I wouldn't have been able to tell you, if it weren't for Mana."

Mana explains, "The Pharaoh requested that I use the divining abilities of my Millennium Ring to try to find the reason for the Millennium Eye's disappearance. The Millennium Ring showed me to the secret chamber where the Millennium Spellbook is held. It wasn't there."

Atem now explains, "The Millennium Spellbook is a source of unbelievable powers. I'm afraid that it has been stolen, and a spell from it used to take the Millennium Eye. If that is the case, there is no guessing what else the thief could do."

As if to show Atem what he can do, the amplified voice of Anubis declares, "Pharaoh Atem, your rule is officially at an end. Come out and face your doom!"

Everyone looks to each other with shock. Isfet says, "Allow me to go out first my Pharaoh, and see who it is who dares threaten you."

Atem shakes his head. "No, we will all go out. If whoever this is really has the power of the Millennium Spellbook, I cannot allow you to go out alone."

Yuni steps forward and says, "We will go too."

Atem nods. They all leave. A few moments later, they all step out into the palace's courtyard. Standing just inside the gates, which have been blown off their hinges, are Anubis and Aknadin. Unconscious guards lie everywhere. Anubis grins maliciously. "Ah, the Pharaoh. We meet at last. Ironically, it will also be our last meeting." He holds up his Pyramid of Light and it glows.

Everyone gasps.


	16. Episode 123: The Curse of Anubis

Episode 123: The Curse of Anubis

**Egypt, 10,000 Years Ago**

Anubis and Aknadin stand before Yuni, his friends, Atem, and his court. Anubis declares, "Surrender your kingdom to me Pharaoh, and your demise will be swift!"

Atem recalls a memory from his future. He and Yugi are using the power of the Blue-Eyes Shining Dragon to destroy Anubis' monstrous form. Atem shouts, "I don't know what you have planned Anubis, but you are foolish to attack me here, in my realm!" He turns to Yuni and says, "We beat him before Yugi, we'll beat him again."

Yuni appears puzzled. He asks, _Yugi, I don't recognize Anubis from any story you've told me. Do you know who this is?_

Yugi replies, equally puzzled, _No, I have no idea what he's talking about._

Yuni looks to Cosmo and asks, "Cosmo, Atem and Yugi seem to have different memories about this guy, what's going on?"

Cosmo thinks for a moment and then says, "It must have to do Atem's new memories coming to him from many different timelines. He's remembering a version of history where he and Yugi fought Anubis, but Yugi, at least the one from history as we know it, never fought such a foe. In the timeline of history as we know it, Atem sealed himself away to also seal Zorc. Anubis must only appear if Atem survives the battle with Zorc, then something that happens causes him to reappear in an alternate version of Yugi's time."

Aknadin shouts, "Enough, what is your decision _Pharaoh? _Will you surrender your throne to one worthy of holding it, such as Seto?"

Atem demands, "Aknadin, how are you alive!?"

"I have the powers of Zorc the Dark One! You can't destroy me that easily!"

Isfet demands, "You were a loyal priest! You were my mentor! Why are you doing this!? Why would you turn on your country!?"

Aknadin shouts back, "I am working to save Egypt! He claims that he'll give his throne to my son, but he lies! He has no intention of giving up his power to anyone! He's just like his father before him, he cares more about himself than what's best for his kingdom!"

Atem shouts, "That's not true! I know what is best for this kingdom, and that's why I plan to give up my throne, but not until Priest Seto is ready!"

Anubis declares, "Enough squabbling! Make your choice Pharaoh!"

The High Priests and Yuni's group move to attack, but Atem raises an arm to motion them to stop. He says, "No, allow me to take care of this one." He raises his DiaDhank to the sky and declares, "Gods of Egypt, hear me now! I require your assistance to protect our home!" Instantly clouds cover the sky and a strong wind blows. In a tremendous storm of energy, Slifer the Sky Dragon, Obelisk the Tormentor, and the Winged Dragon of Ra appear. They all roar.

Isfet grins, "With the Egyptian Gods on our side, there's no way we could lose."

Mana cheers, "Yeah Pharaoh!"

Anubis and Aknadin seem unfazed by the appearance of the titan. Anubis grins and thinks back to when he and Aknadin where forging the Pyramid of Light. Aknadin says to Anubis, "The item is nearly complete. I think you'll grow quite fond of it. Now that it is still taking solid form, this is the optimal time to cast any additional spells on it, in order to strengthen its power."

Anubis nods. "There are two spells I want placed on it. The first, is to link it to the Pharaoh's own Millennium Puzzle. That way he can't hope to defeat me when I have direct access to his power. As for the second," he looks down to the spellbook and turns it to the very last page. It shows an image of the Egyptian Gods in hieroglyphic form.

Aknadin nods, pleased with Anubis' choice of spells. "Yes…I can do that."

Continuing past what we've seen, Anubis explains, "The most powerful in this entire spellbook. The power to conquer even the Egyptian Gods themselves. With such a spell in my arsenal, the Pharaoh will be hopeless."

The flashback ends. Anubis takes a hold of his Pyramid of Light and points its eye at the Egyptian Gods. Within moments, a massive pyramid constructed of light and energy appears around everyone. As soon as the gods make contact with the pyramid, they are completely obliterated.

Atem cries out in pain and falls to the ground. Everyone is shocked. Mana shouts, "Atem!"

Isfet says with disbelief, "No…that's not possible…"

Anubis laughs. "Nothing is impossible when I control the Millennium Spellbook!"

Timaeus, who looks a little dizzy says, "My friends, I feel faint."

Critias nods in agreement. "As do I. Something is amiss here." Suddenly both fall to the ground.

Celestia catches Critias, while Cosmo catch Timaeus.

Isfet shouts, "Priests, protect the Pharaoh!" They all raise their DiaDhanks and call upon their monster spirits. Isfet calls, "Come to me, Chaos-End Master!"

Mana shouts, "Help me Dark Magician Girl!"

Renpet declares, "I need your assistance Spiria!" She calls upon the same monster spirit used by Isis before her.

The holder of the Millennium Key proclaims, "Come forth, Two-Headed Jackal Warrior!" He uses the same monster used by Shada.

They all shout at once, "Monsters, attack!"

Aknadin chuckles. "They really think they still have hope to defeat us."

Anubis nods. "Yes, how pitiful." He holds his arm above the ground and black sludge begins to appear in his palm and drip over the sides of his hand. The sludge then falls to the ground and begins to coalesce into two different piles. The piles of sludge grow larger very quickly, until they begin to take on a solid form. Anubis declares, "Prepare to meet your doom in the form of Andro Sphinx and Sphinx Teleia!" The piles of sludge transform into Anubis' mighty Sphinx monsters. "Attack my Sphinxes!" The two massive monsters attack the incoming monster spirits, destroying them with absolute ease. The Priests cry out in pain as their connection with their monsters are destroyed.

Seto steps forward and says, "Enough sitting around, I'm getting in on this action. You may have been able to destroy Obelisk the Tormentor, but can you destroy the even more powerful Quantus, the Temporal Lord!?" He holds up a card.

Yuni shouts, "Seto no! Don't do it!"

But it's too late, Quantus is already appearing. However, as soon as it materializes, a beam of energy from the giant Pyramid of Light around them impacts it, completely destroying it as well. Seto grunts in disbelief. "Impossible! That's twice in just as many days that I've seen Quantus destroyed!"

Yuni shouts at Seto, "The Egyptian God Cards are reincarnations of the Yugohan Lords, if Anubis has the power to destroy them, he can destroy the Yugohan Lords as well!" He looks to Timaeus and Critias, who don't look any better. "This Pyramid of Light is affecting them too, since they fused souls with Plato and Socrates."

Seto looks to Anubis' Sphinxes and says, "Fine, we'll do this the old fashioned way then." He pulls out another card. "I summon the Cosmic Plasma Dragon!"

Yuni nods. "Good idea. Help me out Cyber-Tech Magician!"

Brutus joins in by shouting, "Let's do this Brutal Massive Dragon!"

Tori also declares, "We'll help too Megalithic Pyramidal!"

Atem struggles to get up. He looks forward to see his High Priests all weakened from the Sphinxes' attacks, and Yuni, Seto, Brutus, and Tori moving in to try to help.

Anubis shakes his head in disapproval. "Your monsters are worthless before mine." Brutal Massive Dragon and Megalithic Pyramidal launch the first attack. Sphinx Teleia attacks with its claws, easily shredding the Brutal Massive Dragon, while Andro Sphinx attacks and destroys Pyramidal with a burst of energy.

The next wave of attacks comes courtesy of the combined power of Cyber-Tech Magician and the Cosmic Plasma Dragon. They launch their attacks while the Sphinxes are still focused on Brutus and Tori's monsters. Each hits, but seems to do very little. The two Sphinxes turn around and begin to attack.

Just as Yuni and Seto's monsters are about to be destroyed, Atem shouts, "Protect them!" In the next moment, Mahad as the Dark Magician, or perhaps the Millennium Magician, appears in between the combating groups and creates a barrier that stops the Sphinxes' attacks before they do any damage.

The magician declares, "No harm will befall the friends of the Pharaoh as long as I stand!"

Yuni looks to Atem and nods. Atem nods back. Both then declare, "Combine your magic Magicians! Cyber Dark Magic Attack!"

Seto then adds, "Enhance their magic with your Plasma Stream of Destruction!"

First the two magicians cast their magic spell together, creating one massive orb of dark magic energy. Then they move to the side, allowing for the Cosmic Plasma Dragon to launch its attack, which hits their attack from behind and merges with it. The combined three-way attack makes it to a point in the air in between the two Sphinxes, and then explodes with an incredible force.

Brutus cheers, "Yeah, that had to do it! No monster could stand up to that kind of attack!"

The smoke slowly clears. Andro Sphinx and Sphinx Teleia still stand, completely unharmed. Anubis and Aknadin begin to laugh. Anubis declares, "I created these monsters from my very essence! And with the Pyramid of Light around my neck, that essence is more powerful than you could ever believe!"

Aknadin adds, "And with all the spells I have learned from the Millennium Spellbook, these mighty beasts have been made invincible!"

Anubis then declares, "Enough of this foolishness, destroy all who oppose us Andro Sphinx and Sphinx Teleia!" Both monsters roar, and unleash their attacks. The magicians, and the Cosmic Plasma Dragon are destroyed. Anubis then commands, "Now destroy them!"

With the High Priests weak from battle, Timaeus and Critias passed out from the Pyramid of Light, Cosmo and Celestia caring for them, and all of their monsters destroyed, there seems to be no way to defend against the attacks. Atem, Yuni, and Seto look to each, and then look back to the attacks. They brace themselves.

Just in the nick of time, Weneg materializes in between Atem and the attacks. He still has the bandages around his eye. He shouts, "This has gone far enough! Pharaoh, we must leave!" He chants something in Egyptian, and then everyone teleports out of the way of the attacks just in time.

Once the dust settles, Aknadin asks, "What happened? Did your monster disintegrate them?"

Anubis shakes his head. "No, I did not feel the essence of their souls leaving their bodies. They survived…for now."

* * *

Weneg, Yuni, Atem, and everyone else materializes in an Egyptian temple. All around them are the tablets of sealed monster spirits. Atem looks to Weneg and compliments, "Your timing is as impeccable as ever Master Weneg."

Weneg grins. "Thank you my Pharaoh. I'm glad I made it in time to save you."

Brutus asks, "How did you do that?"

Weneg answers, "I may have lost my Millennium Eye, but I still have some magic left."

Yuni looks to Cosmo and Celestia and asks, "How are Timaeus and Critias doing?"

Celestia puts a hand to Critias forehead and feels it. She says, "It feels like he has a slight fever from the exhaustion, but he's coming to."

Seto glares at them, seeming to resent how much attention Celestia is paying to Critias.

Just then Timaeus and Critias slowly open their eyes. They both moan. Timaeus asks, "Pray tell, what hast happened to me?"

Cosmo explains, "A spell cast by that sorcerer created a field meant to destroy those with divine energy, such as Plato and Socrates. You're lucky it didn't affect you worse."

Critias nods and says weakly, "Thou speaks the truth."

Atem looks to his High Priests and asks, "And how did you all fare?"

Mana, Isfet, and Renpet each give various acknowledgements of being okay. The wielder of the Millennium Key does not answer. He is looking down at the ground.

Atem asks, "Heka, what is wrong?"

Heka looks up and answers, "I am sorry my Pharaoh, I have failed you. This is my fault."

Atem looks to him questioningly. "Why is that Heka?"

"As you know, I am the wielder of the Millennium Key because of the time I spent training with Master Shimon. He and Master Aknadin were the only two to know the exact location of the Millennium Spellbook. One time during my training, curiosity got the best of me, and I followed Master Shimon into the catacombs where the spellbook was kept, and soon found the hiding spot. For discovering such a forbidden secret, Master Shimon should have discharged me from the Order of Priests, but he choose not to. Instead he made me promise to never tell anyone of the location. I promised. With both Master Shimon and Aknadin gone, I considered telling you of the hiding place, in case you ever needed to protect it. In the end I decided to keep my promise, and because of that there was no one to protect the Spellbook."

Atem shakes his head. "No Heka, it is not your fault. I respect that you kept your promise to a fallen teacher. There is nothing wrong with that."

Seto then steps forward and states, "That's all fine and great, but what do you plan on doing now?"

Atem looks to Seto and states, "You know, you remind me much of Priest Seto and Seto Kaiba in more than just your looks." He looks around at everyone and then asks himself, "Hmm…what are we to do?"

Tori says with some despair, "There's no way we can defeat Anubis. Between his two Sphinxes and his Pyramid of Light, he's unstoppable."

Yuni shakes his head. "No, no enemy is unstoppable. You should know that by now Tori. We just have to find his weakness."

Timaeus suggests, "If this villain really does draw all of his vitality from the Millennium Spellbook, then maybe the Spellbook is the key to his defeat."

Mana suddenly exclaims, "If we can find the spellbook, then I bet we could find a spell to counteract all of Anubis' powers!"

Weneg then says, "If Aknadin could cast spells from that book, so too could I."

Yuni nods. "That could work, but how would we find the Millennium Spellbook in the first place?"

Atem grins. "We have the perfect solution to that." He points to Mana. "The Millennium Ring will show us the way."

Brutus cheers, "Alright, we've got a plan!"

Isfet then says, "Wait, it's still too early to celebrate. Even if we can defeat Anubis, there's still Aknadin to worry about, and who knows what enchantments he's used to power himself up."

Atem nods. "Yes, he is a variable we need to account for." He thinks for a moment. "There is one person who could stop him. Priest Seto."

Isfet asks, "Why would Priest Seto be able to stop Aknadin?"

Atem takes a deep breath and explains, "This is something that I have yet to tell anyone. Not only is Aknadin my uncle, but Seto is his son." The High Priests gasp. "Aknadin was driven to darkness because of his extreme desire for Seto to become Pharaoh. If Seto could explain to Aknadin that he will become Pharaoh, maybe he can get him to stop working for Anubis."

Isfet nods. "That sounds like it could work my Pharaoh. Please, send me to retrieve Priest Seto from his training. I will bring him back here in time for the battle with Anubis."

Atem nods. "Yes, that will work."

Seto steps forward. "I have some business to attend to with this era's Seto. I will grace Isfet with my presence." Atem nods, understanding that Seto means his duel with Priest Seto.

Celestia then also steps forward. "I will go as well."

Seeing that Celestia is going, Critias instantly steps forward. "If the Lady Celestia is to leave on this quest, then so too whilst I." Seto gives him a quick glare.

Atem nods. "Then it is settled. We will break off into two groups. One will look for the Millennium Spellbook, and the other for Priest Seto. We should leave immediately."

* * *

The two groups have split up. Now Yuni, Brutus, Tori, Cosmo, Timaeus, Atem, Renpet, Heka, Weneg, and Mana travel through the empty desert of Egypt. Mana is leading them, holding up her Millennium Ring so that the spikes hanging from it point forward, as if by magic. Mana says, "I can feel it, we're getting closer."

Atem, who is right behind her, nods with approval. "Good." After a moment of silence, he suddenly asks, "Mana, if you don't mind me asking, how are you?"

This confuses Mana. "Excuse me my Pharaoh?"

"What I mean is how are you fairing as a High Priest? I know that you weren't training with Mahad to become one. You were kind of forced into it. How are you doing?"

Mana shakes her head, unsure of what to say. "I live to serve you my Pharaoh."

Atem shakes his head. "No Mana, I'm not asking you this as your Pharaoh, I'm asking you as your childhood friend."

Mana sighs. "I'm fine, I promise. It's strenuous at times, but I like being your High Priestess. Not only do I get to help you, but I also get to be around you a lot more than I would be otherwise."

Atem nods. "I think that's what you tell yourself, but is it really what you mean?"

She hesitantly nods. "It is my Pharaoh."

Atem sighs. "I don't think it's that simple Mana."

Before she can answer, she suddenly breathes a sigh of relief and announces, "We're here."

Brutus looks around with confusion. "What do you mean we're here? I don't see anything but sand."

Mana appears baffled as well. "I don't know, all I can say is that the Millennium Ring is telling me that we are here."

Atem states, "It must be hidden by magic."

Weneg complains, "If only I had my Millennium Eye, I could use its magic to reveal anything hidden to normal sight."

Yuni then proclaims, "I've got an idea, everyone step back." They all do. Yuni pulls out a card and declares, "I activate the Dust Tornado!" A massive storm of dust and sand is suddenly whipped up. At first nothing special seems to happen, but then, as more sand fills the surrounding air, it can be seen that the dust in the air seems to be hitting an invisible barrier and bouncing off.

Tori exclaims, "The sand is hitting something that looks like a building! That must be Anubis' layer!"

Timaeus points to a rectangular area in the building where sand can make it in, and exclaims, "And look over yonder, there seems to be an entranceway!" The Dust Tornado dissipates, and everyone runs for the doorway. The moment they cross into it, the interior of the building becomes visible. It is Anubis' temple.

Once they are all in, everyone looks around. After only a few moments, Heka points and says, "My Pharaoh, there it is, the Millennium Spellbook!" everyone runs over to the pedestal where the book sits.

Mana says, "I can't believe he would just leave an object of such great power just laying out like this."

Renpet responds, "He grew arrogant. He thought he would destroy us, his only opposition in the initial battle, he didn't think anyone would be able to find the location of this place, and also didn't think anyone would find the hidden temple, even if they did find the physical location."

Atem then says, "Then he didn't know who he was up against." He looks to Weneg. "Alright Master Weneg, this book is supposed to be impossible to read, but I need you to try."

Weneg nods. "I'll do my best." He walks up to the book and slowly opens to a random page. For a moment, the page contains the same hieroglyphics it contained when Anubis and Aknadin read it, but then the pages suddenly glow. When the glow subsides, the hieroglyphs have changed, now appearing much more cryptic and confusing. Weneg shakes his head. "I don't get it. For a moment, the book was written in standard hieroglyphics, but then it just changed back to the Language of the Gods."

Atem grunts. "Anubis and Aknadin must have used some sort of magic to translate it, but it was for their eyes only."

Tori is peeking over at the book. She steps forward and exclaims, "Wait a second, I know that script!"

Atem looks to her and asks, "What do you know of the Language of the Gods?"

Tori shrugs. "Not much, but you see, I'm a historian with a specialty in cultures that had some form of Shadow Games, especially Egypt. I've picked up some of the ancient languages, and this looks a lot like the script found the Tomb of Unnamed Pharaoh." She looks to Atem. "Your tomb. Historians managed to translate some of it. It's possible that I might be able to read just enough of this to figure out what it means."

Yuni smiles. "That's great Tori!"

Atem then nods. "Alright then. I want you to work with Master Weneg to find a spell that can help us defeat Anubis."

Both Tori and Weneg nod. They instantly get to work.

* * *

Some time later, everyone is curiously exploring Anubis' temple while Tori and Weneg work. Weneg suddenly exclaims, "We've got it!"

Everyone looks over to them. Atem asks, "What is it Weneg, what did you find?"

Tori says, "We've found a spell that should be able to seal away the power a Millennium Item, as well as any other enchantments that might be placed upon it."

Weneg then adds, "It's a spell to create a weapon known as the Dagger of Fate."


	17. Episode 124: Duel of Legends

Episode 124: Duel of Legends

**Egypt, 10,000 Years Ago**

Isfet is leading Seto, Critias, and Celestia through the deserts of Egypt. In the distance an oasis can be seen. Isfet says to the group, "Up ahead is the Oasis of the Gods, a sacred place. I'll have you know that few outsiders ever step foot there. It is the place that Priest Seto has been training to become Pharaoh."

Seto asks, "Will he be available to leave immediately?"

Isfet shrugs. "I don't know. It depends on how deep into his training he is. I don't see any immediate problems though."

As they continue to approach the oasis, a large Egyptian-styled building can also be seen, built right in the middle of the oasis. They enter the oasis, and then stop in front of the building. Isfet looks to Seto and Critias and says, "It might be best if you two wait out here while Celestia and I go in to get Priest Seto."

Critias nods. "It is a sound plan."

Isfet and Celestia enter the building. Once inside, Isfet calls out, "Priest Seto, we need to speak to you!"

From around a corner, Priest Seto's voice calls back, "What is it that thou wants!?" He walks into the corridor and stops dead. His gaze is fixated on Celestia. After a moment of being stunned, he says, "Only once have I lain eyes on a sight as beautiful as thou." He steps towards Celestia and asks, "What has brought thou here?"

Celestia is about to answer, when Isfet answers for her. "We have come because your kingdom is in great danger."

Priest Seto looks to Isfet and asks, "What kind of danger?"

"A sorcerer known as Anubis has acquired the power of the Millennium Spellbook, and used its power to create a new Millennium Item. He has already driven the Pharaoh out of the palace."

Priest Seto is shocked. "That's not possible!"

Celestia then adds, "It gets worse Seto, Anubis has revived your father."

Priest Seto demands, "How do thou know who my father is!?"

Celestia hangs her head and says, "I know a lot more about you than you would think."

Isfet then says, "It does not matter how she knows. Anubis has brought Aknadin back to the land of the living, and he is the source of Anubis' power."

"What does my father have to gain from allying himself with this Anubis? All he wanted was for me to be Pharaoh, and that is to be. What drives him to attack the Pharaoh?"

"We don't know. Presumably, Anubis has manipulated him, and told him that Pharaoh has no intents of going through on his word."

"He must be stopped."

Celestia asks, "Would you be willing to fight your own father?"

Priest Seto answers, "No, he ceased to be my father the day he abandoned my mother and I. And he lost any respect I had for him as my teacher when he joined with Zorc. I will stop him by any means necessary."

Seto and Critias step in. Seto asks, "Are you really willing to do anything it would take?"

Priest Seto demands, "What kind of sorcery is this!? Am I hallucinating!?"

Seto groans. "We've been through this before."

Critias then explains, "Nay, this is no hallucination. I asked a very similar question myself. We come from other times, and are on a quest to save the world. We hath come here to recruit your aid in our fight."

Isfet then adds, "I do not know why, but the Pharaoh does trust them."

Priest Seto shakes his head in disbelief. "I find this hard to believe."

Seto sighs. "Enough of this. Let's just get it over with." He looks his Egyptian counterpart in the eyes and declares, "I challenge you to a duel!"

Isfet, along with everything around them, freezes up. Priest Seto says emotionlessly, "I accept your challenge." The Setos, Critias, and Celestia are transported into the realm outside of time. Priest Seto raises his DiaDhank, causing a portal to open up above him, and several tablets to fall in front of him. Seto activates his Duel Gauntlet.

Seto says, "Once I defeat you, everything will become clear." He draws a card. "I summon the Plasma Ascendant (Light/Level 4/Thunder/Effect/ATK 1500/DEF 1300)!" This monster is a mass of dark red plasma in the shape of a nearly formless blob. "Then I'll set a card and end my turn. At the end of each of my turns, the effect of Plasma Ascendant activates, raising its own level and attack strength (Level: 5) (ATK: 2000)." The blob of plasma begins to change. Its plasma becomes a lighter red in color, and it begins to vaguely appear in a humanoid form (Seto's hand: 4).

Priest Seto calls for another tablet. "I do not know what is going on here, but I do know that I must do whatever is within my power to win this battle. Something deep inside of me tells me that. As a High Priest and future Pharaoh of Egypt, I plan to do just that! I summon the Legendary Griffon (Light/Level 4/Winged-Beast/Effect/ATK 1700/DEF 1200)." The monster that springs out of the tablet is a winged lion with an eagle's head. It seems to have an Egyptian motif, as it looks like a hieroglyphic come to life, and there are several Egyptian-inspired decorations on it. "The power of the Legendary Griffon allows me to excavate the top three tablets of my deck, and add one Legendary tablet from among the excavated tablets to my hand." Three tablets fall in front of Priest Seto. "I'll take the Spell tablet, Legendary Temple. As a bonus, one of the tablets I excavated was the Legendary Sphinx. When the Legendary Sphinx is excavated, it Special Summons itself (Light/Level 6/Beast/Effect/ATK 2300/DEF 2500)." This monster is a traditional Egyptian sphinx, with the body of a lion and the head of a man. "Next I'll activate the Field Spell Tablet, Legendary Temple!" Their surroundings change so that they appear to be in an Egyptian temple. The walls are covered in hieroglyphs.

Seto looks at the field and asks, "And what does that do for you?"

Priest Seto grins. "Thou will just have to wait to find out. Now Legendary Sphinx, attack the Plasma Ascendant!"

Seto counters, "Activate facedown card: Plasma Gain! This card levels up my Plasma Ascendant by two (Level: 7)." The blob of plasma begins to change again. It's color turns from red to orange to yellow and begins to take on a recognizable human-form. "With these two levels, my monster also gains 1000 Attack Points (ATK: 3000).

Priest Seto gasps. "Now thy monster is more powerful than mine!" The Legendary Sphinxes lunges at the Plasma Ascendant, but is incinerated in the process (Priest Seto's LP: 3300). "I set a tablet and end my turn (Priest Seto's hand: 4)."

Seto draws. "Now that my Plasma Ascendant has reached level seven, the winning momentum is on my side. Despite that, the fun doesn't end there! I summon Plasma Wyrm LV3 (Light/Level 3/Wyrm/Effect/ATK 1200/DEF 1400)!" The monster is a small serpentine dragon with disproportionately small wings. It is composed of a dim red plasma. "Now, Plasma Ascendant, destroy the Legendary Griffon!" With a burst of plasma, Seto's monster attacks.

Priest Seto declares, "I activate my facedown tablet, Legendary Monument! Since I control a Legendary monster, I can excavate the top tablet of my deck. If the revealed tablet is a Legendary monster, I take no battle damage this turn!" A tablet falls. It's a monster of some kind. Priest Seto nods. "Now thy attack can't hurt me." Plasma Ascendant's attack destroys the Legendary Griffon.

Despite what Priest Seto just said, Seto commands, "Now attack directly Plasma Wyrm!"

"What's the point!? Thou can cause me no damage."

"It wasn't the damage I cared about." Seto's monster attacks with a weak breath of plasma that does nothing. Seto then sets a card. "Now that I'm in my End Phase, my Plasma Ascendant levels up again (Level 8) (ATK: 3500)." The monster now appears as a fearsome warrior made out of light blue plasma. "However, Plasma Ascendant isn't the only monster that can level up. Now that my Plasma Wyrm LV3 has declared an attack, even if it didn't cause any damage, I can tribute it in order to summon a stronger form from my deck. Come forth, Plasma Wyrm LV5 (Light/Level 5/Wyrm/Effect/ATK 2400/DEF 2200)!" Seto's monster goes through a transformation. It grows longer, and fiercer in appearance, and its wings grow several times in size. Also, its plasma is now yellow in color (Seto's hand: 3)."

Priest Seto declares, "Now that it is my Draw Phase, I can reveal to you the power of Legendary Temple. Instead of drawing, I can excavate the top three tablets of my deck, and pick which tablet I want to add my hand." Three tablets fall. "I'll select the Legendary Ammit, which I will also summon (Light/Level 4/Reptile/Effect/ATK 1500/DEF 1500)." This monster is a beast with the head of a crocodile, upper body of a lion, and lower body of a hippo. "Once per turn, the Legendary Ammit allows me to excavate the top four tablets of my deck." Four tablets fall. "Now for each one that's a Legendary monster, Ammit gains 300 ATK, and I count three (ATK: 2400)."

Seto scoffs, "It's still not powerful enough to defeat either of my monsters."

"Do thou think I am dumb? I know what I'm doing. Instead of attacking thy monsters head-on, I'll get around them. I activate Legendary Scripture. By paying 1000 of my life points, this tablet allows one of my Legendary monsters to attack thy life points directly (Priest Seto's LP: 2300). Go Legendary Ammit, attack!" The monster lunges at Seto, biting down as it attacks (Seto's LP: 1600).

Seto grunts, but quickly recovers. "That almost hurt."

"There's a lot more coming thy way. I set a tablet and end my turn (Priest Seto's hand: 3)."

Seto draws. "I activate the effect of Plasma Wyrm LV5. By discarding a monster from my hand, I can destroy a monster on the field with a lower level than the discarded monster. I'll discard my level five Plasma Serpent to destroy your level four Legendary Ammit." Once Seto discards his card, a burst of plasma flares out of the Plasma Wyrm at Priest Seto's monster, destroying it. "Now, my Plasma Wyrm isn't allowed to attack since it used its effect, but Plasma ascendant can. Attack directly!"

Priest Seto declares, "Activate facedown tablet: Legendary Tablet! This tablet has me excavate one tablet. If that tablet is a monster, I can Special Summon it and negate thy attack." A tablet falls. "And it's the Legendary Bennu (Light/Level 5/Winged-Beast/Effect/ATK 2100/DEF 2400)." In a flash of light, Priest Seto's monster appears. It some sort of glowing crane with an Egyptian motif. It wears the crown of a pharaoh. The attack of Seto's monster is halted.

Seto grunts. "Fine, I don't mind, because the end of my turn has come, and both of my monster will now gain even more power." Plasma Ascendant levels up (Level: 9) (ATK: 4000), and transforms in the process. Its plasma is now a glowing blue-white, and it has become a grand warrior, wielding a sword and shield of plasma. "As for my Plasma Wyrm LV5, as it destroyed a monster with its effect, I can tribute it summon its ultimate form! Come forth, Plasma Wyrm LV7 (Light/Level 7/Wyrm/Effect/ATK 2900/DEF 2400)!" The monster grows, and grows larger and longer. It now has giant wings and glows a light blue. "My monsters are now at their peak of power, nothing you can do will stop them (Seto's hand: 3)."

Priest Seto shakes his head. "Thou may look like me, but thou do not know me at all. I will find a way to overcome any opponent. Now, I activate the effect of Legendary Temple!" Three tablets fall in front of him.

Seto gasps upon seeing one of them. It is a tablet version of what seems to be the Blue-Eyes White Dragon.

Priest Seto grins. "I can see that thou are familiar with my ultimate monster. I will add it to my hand." The tablet moves towards his other tablets, and the remaining tablets disappear. "Since I just excavated tablets, the effect of Legendary Bennu activates, allowing me to Special Summon another Legendary monster from my grave, such as the Legendary Ammit." In a flash of light, Priest Seto's previously destroyed monster returns to the field. "Now that I have two monsters, I can tribute them both in order to summon the Legendary White Dragon (Light/Level 8/Dragon/Effect/ATK 3000/DEF 2500)!" The monster truly is a form of the Blue-Eyes White Dragon. If one didn't know better, it would appear that it actually is Blue-Eyes, however, a few minor differences in its armor plating are apparent. The monster roars and as it does, for only a split second, a spiritual manifestation of Kisara can be seen superimposed over it, which then fades away.

From the sidelines, Critias comments, "So this Seto hast a dragon of his own as well."

Celestia nods. "Yes, it is yet another incarnation of original dragon spirit that bonded with your past life. Arguably his history with this dragon makes their bond greater than any other. And that bond is not something to taken lightly."

Priest Seto declares, "Now I activate Legendary Curse. Since I control my Legendary White Dragon, I can use this card to decrease the attack of all of thy monsters to zero!" Both of Seto's monsters are cloaked by a shadowy energy, and their strength is sapped (ATK: 0). Seto cringes. Priest Seto continues, "Now, I can't declare an attack the turn I use this tablet, but it has crippled thy monsters and paved the way for my victory (Priest Seto's hand: 2)."

Seto then says, "That remains to be seen." He draws. "Especially once you see the card I just drew. But first, I'll remind you that my monsters are far from worthless. By discarding a monster, I can activate Plasma Wyrm's effect and destroy all monsters you control with an equal or lower level than the discarded card. I'll discard the level eight Plasma Titan and destroy your Legendary White Dragon!"

Priest Seto proclaims, "Thou will not! For I activate the effect of the Legendary White Dragon! Now I can excavate the top tablet of my deck, and if it is a Legendary monster, I can negate thy effect!" The dragon roars, and a tablet appears. It's a Legendary Griffon. Priest Seto nods. "Thy effect won't be having any impact!" The dragon roars again, and Seto's monster fails to use its effect.

"Fine, that wasn't my only option. I tribute my level seven Plasma Wyrm, and my level nine Plasma Ascendant in order to Special Summon the Cosmic Plasma Dragon (Light/Level 8/Dragon/Effect/ATK 3000/DEF 2500)!" Seto mighty dragon descends onto the field and roars. Both dragons look each other in the eyes and roar. The moment they do, both Setos, and Critias, are pulled into a vision.

They see a battle-scarred wasteland. Three figures stand alone on the field. One is Celestia, she is lying unconscious on the ground, and appears injured. In front of her, in a protective stance, is Prince Seto. He faces the third figure, a mysterious silhouette. Prince Seto shouts across the field to the figure, "You have not only threatened my homeland, but injured my bride-to-be! I cannot allow that!"

The figure shakes his head. He speaks, "Yugoha is a lost cause. It may have once been a great empire, but ever since it was first created, it was destined to fall at my hands." It quickly becomes apparent that this is the voice of Otto. "Yugoha is nothing but a relic of the past, it is time to move to future, a future that will be consumed by Darkness!"

Prince Seto shakes his head. "No! Yugoha will not fall to the likes of terrorists like you!"

Otto laughs. "Ha! You think I am a mere terrorist!? You know nothing of me. Allow me to show you just a sample of my power!" Suddenly Otto unleashes a massive beam of shadowy energy. Prince Seto quickly calls upon his silver dragon with rainbow eyes to protect him, but it is just as quickly destroyed. Otto stops the attack.

Prince Seto looks at Otto with shock. "No one has the power to destroy my dragon…how is this possible?"

"There is one with such power."

Prince Seto's eyes widen. He says under his breath, "Ottiuk…"

With that, Otto begins to laugh again, and then he disappears, saying, "I could destroy you now, but it would not suit my plans. Fortunately for you, I must destroy both you and your brother at once." He then vanishes. The vision ends.

Priest Seto demands, "What was that!?"

Seto responds, "I still ask myself that sometimes. Apparently you and I are the reincarnations of an ancient alien prince of a space empire. That shadowy figure you saw has come back after 20,000 years to take control of the world."

Celestia shouts up, "Please Priest Seto, you must believe him. Believe me. We need your help if we are to defeat this evil."

Priest Seto looks unsure of what to think. "I wouldn't normally believe such a tale," he looks to Celestia, "but for some reason I cannot explain, I trust thou. I will lend thou my aid." He looks to Seto and says, "Now all that is left is to conclude this duel."

Seto nods in agreement. "I couldn't agree more. Let's do this Cosmic Plasma Dragon! Attack the Legendary White Dragon!"

Priest Seto asks, "But our dragons are of equal power. What do you have to gain from this?"

Seto responds, "I have the monster in my hand, Cosmic Force! By discarding it, I can increase the attack of my Cosmic Plasma Dragon by the attack of your Legendary White Dragon!"

Priest Seto nods. "And that would mean I lose. Of course, that's only if I fail to use my Legendary White Dragon's effect."

Seto nods. "If you excavate a monster, then my effect is negated, and both of our dragons are destroyed. If you don't, then I win. Let's do this."

Priest Seto nods back. He calls for a tablet to appear. Both look to the tablet with anticipation. Priest Seto declares, "It's a Spell Tablet."

Seto grins. "Cosmic Plasma Dragon, attack with Plasma Stream of Destruction!" The Cosmic Plasma Dragon increases its strength (ATK: 6000) and attacks, destroying Priest Seto's Legendary White Dragon (Priest Seto's LP: 0). The duel ends, and the Setos, Critias, and Celestia are transported back to Egypt, right where they were with Isfet before the duel started.

Isfet says, "Priest Seto, I know that it may be hard to believe, but they are on our side."

Priest Seto nods. "Yes Isfet, I trust them now."

This confuses Isfet. "Wait, what?"

Celestia giggles. Priest Seto says, "Let's just say that I've been enlightened. Now come on, we must stop my father."


	18. Episode 125: Events Predetermined

Episode 125: Events Predetermined

**Ancient Egypt, 10,000 Years Ago**

Yuni, Brutus, Tori, Cosmo, Timaeus, Atem, and all of the High Priests except for Isfet and Priest Seto are gathered in Anubis' temple. Tori and Weneg are looking in the Millennium Spellbook. Yuni asks, "The Dagger of Fate, what's that?"

Atem seems to know. He recites, "The eye that sees what's yet to come, its vision shall be fulfilled, unless blinded by events predetermined, thus Light and Shadows both be killed."

Mana asks, "What does that mean my Pharaoh?"

"It's a prophecy…one I know from another life." He looks to Yuni and asks, "Yugi, are you certain you do not recognize the events that are transpiring?"

Yugi says to Yuni, _I really don't know. I've never heard the prophecy before._

Yuni answers by shaking his head. He then says, "The last line of the prophecy, you said 'thus Light and Shadows both be killed.' That sounds like Chaos to me."

Atem asks, "What do you mean by Chaos?"

"Chaos is a philosophy that neither light nor darkness are inherently evil, but a misbalance of two creates evil instead. If Anubis is using both the powers of Light and Darkness, it could be a bigger threat than we originally thought. Let me observe that book." He steps forward, Tori and Weneg step back. Yuni closes his eyes and holds out a hand. He declares, "Chaos Judgment!" When he opens his eyes again, he now sees the aura of everyone and thing in the room. Mostly everyone has a predominantly Light aura, but not too out of balance. Atem seems to have a perfect balance. Each of the Millennium Items also seem to have a balance. Yuni looks to the book. It glows with an intense aura of both Light and Darkness. Yuni cancels the Chaos Judgment. He nods. "Just as I suspected. The Millennium Spellbook is a spellbook of Chaos."

Mana asks, "But we have always been taught that the Millennium Spellbook was dark magic. How could it also be light?"

Yuni thinks for a moment. "It may be a book of dark magic, but the spells themselves are not inherently dark. Think about the ways you've used the Millennium Items for the good of Egypt. In the end, the Millennium Items utilize the power of Chaos to create their magic, I should have suspected that earlier."

Timaeus then asks, "I do not understand thy philosophy fully, but this dost not make sense to me. Anubis is obviously a villain of Darkness, how could he possibly utilize the power of Light?"

Yuni answers, "Think about it, he even called his Millennium Item the Pyramid of Light. His two Sphinx monsters, they both demonstrated an attribute of Light, not Darkness. At the same time though, he has empowered both his monsters and his Pyramid of Light with shadow magic. He is twisting the power of Chaos to his will. We must put a stop to it."

Atem nods. "And I agree." He looks to Weneg and Tori. "Now tell me, how do we construct the Dagger of Fate?"

Weneg answers, "According to the book, the Dagger of Fate is the only object that can disrupt the power of a Millennium Item completely. However, it must be designed with a specific Millennium Item in mind. And as such, it has to be forged using the very same metal that was used to forge the Millennium Item. We need the platinum Anubis used to create the Pyramid of Light."

Renpet asks, "How are we supposed to acquire the very same material that Anubis used?"

Tori points out, "Well, we are in the temple that Anubis forged his Pyramid of Light in, he had to have had some leftover material."

Brutus points to other side of the room. "That looks like a forge over there."

Everyone looks over to see the forge that Anubis and Aknadin used to create the Pyramid of Light. Weneg walks over to it and observes it. He nods. "Yes, there is some scrap platinum here. However, we cannot be certain it is the same platinum he used to make the Pyramid of Light." He looks to Atem. "It's your call my Pharaoh. Do we take the risk, and assume that this is the same metal, or do we try to find another way?"

Atem responds, "There is no other way. I know from events yet to transpire that the Dagger of Fate is the one object that can stop Anubis. We need to make it, no matter what."

Weneg nods. "Alright, then it shall be done."

The following scene is a montage of the creation of the Dagger of Fate. Weneg gathers the metal and melts it in Anubis' forge. Tori reads him instructions, step-by-step. Once the metal has been melted, and several incantations have been casted on the molten metal, it is poured into a mold of a wavy-bladed dagger.

As the metal begins to set, Yuni steps forward and says, "I've been thinking, the standard Dagger of Fate is only meant to stop a standard Millennium Item. What Anubis has created is not a standard Millennium Item. If the Dagger of Fate really is supposed to destroy both Light and Shadows, allow me to cast a spell of my own on it, and allow its edge to cut through even the greatest of Chaos powers."

Atem nods. "Any help you can lend will be appreciated."

Yuni steps up to the stand where the cooling dagger sits. He thinks, _The spell I'm about to use is a forbidden technique of Chaos. It is taught to all Lords of Chaos so it may be used in an emergency, but it is expected that no Lord of Chaos will ever have to use it._

Yugi asks, _What will it do?_

_It will allow this blade to separate the very essence of Light and Darkness, rendering any power its target derives from Chaos useless. _He waves his hand over the blade and recites, "Separate the Darkness from the Light, remove the shadows from the bright. Where once Chaos was the base, leave only discord in its place." A flow of light and dark energy flows from Yuni's hand, and into the blade. For a moment after the spell is cast, the blade itself glows gold and purple. The glow then subsides. Yuni nods. "It is done. The Dagger of Fate is now a weapon that will render the power of Chaos useless." He looks to Atem and says sternly, "This blade cannot be allowed to fall into the wrong hands. It could be used to unweave the very Balance of Chaos."

Atem nods. "You can trust me. I already know that this blade will never fall into the wrong hands."

Yuni nods back. "Good."

Weneg then says, "Now all that is left is to give the dagger an edge and a hilt, then it will be complete."

A little later, Weneg holds the finished blade up and declares, "I present to you the Dagger of Fate. We now possess a weapon that can defeat Anubis and his magic."

Heka asks, "How does it work? How do we use it?"

Tori explains, "The dagger must be stabbed into the Pyramid of Light itself. Enchantments placed on it will allow it to pierce the metal that makes the Pyramid. Once inserted, the power of the Pyramid will be completely canceled. On top of that, Anubis himself should have all of his energy drained away. The only thing we'll have to worry about is Aknadin."

Atem nods. "And hopefully we'll have Seto's help to defeat him."

Mana asks, "What is out next step Pharaoh?"

"We have no other step to take. We must leave immediately to stop Anubis and hope that Seto and Isfet meet up with us." Everyone else nods in agreement.

* * *

Anubis sits on the Pharaoh's throne. He is staring intently at his Pyramid of Light. Aknadin approaches him and asks, "What are you doing sitting around while the Pharaoh is still out there?"

Anubis looks to Aknadin and tells him, "I know the Pharaoh well. He will not allow me stay in possession of his palace without a further fight. He will come to us in due time."

Aknadin nods. "I think it's about time that you gave me some answers. I went into this partnership knowing almost nothing about you, and yet you seem to know everything about me. It's time that you tell me who you are, why you want to destroy the Pharaoh, and what your plan is for when he is destroyed."

Anubis nods. "Fine, I will tell you my story. I am known as the Egyptian Lord of the Dead because I dedicated years of my life to studying the Realm of the Dead. I have learned to tap into its very power, and control the processes of life and death itself. One day, I had a vision. The vision told me that the era of the living was coming to an end. I was chosen by the Realm of the Dead to bring its end and usher in an Age of the Dead. A year ago, almost to the day, I began my ritual to bring forth the dead from their resting places and take this world for themselves. My plans were ruined by the previous Pharaoh's High Priests and their Millennium Items. They were led by the then Pharaoh-in-training Atem. He ruined my grand design, and halted my destiny."

Aknadin asks, "Wait, you are trying to turn this into a world of the dead? What of I? What of Seto?"

Anubis laughs. "You forget Aknadin, you already belong to the Realm of the Dead. And I wouldn't worry about your son, he too will join you among the dead soon." This angers Aknadin. "Calm Aknadin, all those now living will be sent to the Realm of the Dead when we are done. Besides, it is the only way that your son will be able to rule this kingdom, for only the dead can rule the dead."

Aknadin nods reluctantly. "I guess that in the end it is no different." He says it, but it doesn't sound like he means it.

"Exactly. Now, once the Pharaoh, the only one who could stand in my way, is destroyed, I will summon my army of monsters from the Realm of the Dead, and they will claim this world for the deceased." He looks to Aknadin and demands, "Is something the matter Aknadin?"

"Your plan…you wish to destroy Egypt. Will there be anything left for my son to rule over when your plan is complete?"

"Egypt in its traditional sense will be a thing of the past. The world will be a different place. It may not be your precious Egypt you covet, but it is the only way that your son can become Pharaoh. You don't have the power to do so by yourself, and you'd best remember that."

Aknadin reluctantly nods. "Of course…" He then adds without much honesty, "Forgive me for my ignorance."

Anubis is about to say something else, when his Pyramid of Light begins to glow. Anubis grins. "The connection that you made between my Pyramid and the Pharaoh's Puzzle is working well. I can sense the Pharaoh, he has returned to the palace." He gets up. "Let's take care of this once and for all."

* * *

Anubis and Aknadin step outside of the palace. Standing at the gates is Yuni, Atem, and the others, except for Timaeus, who is nowhere to be seen. Anubis grins. "Pharaoh, I didn't think I'd be seeing you again so soon. In fact, I thought you were smarter than this. I thought I was going to have to hunt you down."

Atem shouts back, "You have attacked my kingdom Anubis, and that cannot be forgiven. You will face the judgment of those who guard Egypt and their Millennium Items!"

"You speak bravely, but have you forgotten the power that I wield?" He snaps his fingers, and from behind the palace his two massive Sphinx monsters heed his call. Anubis holds up his Pyramid of Light and declares, "I will destroy you this time Pharaoh, and I will claim this world for the dead! Attack, my Sphinxes!" The monsters leap at the group.

Atem shouts, "Now, as we planned!"

Yuni pulls a card out and declares, "I activate Mirror Force!" A shiny dome surrounds them, and the Sphinxes bounce right off of it.

Anubis commands, "Keep on attacking, the barrier will fall!"

Anubis doesn't realize it, but Timaeus has appeared above him, on the roof of the palace. He wields the Dagger of Fate. He leaps off the roof and shouts, "Have at thee!"

Anubis turns around in surprise. Just as Timaeus is about to drive the dagger into the Pyramid, Anubis leaps back. He demands, "What treachery is this!?"

Aknadin gasps. "That's the Dagger of Fate! It's the one thing that has the power to stop your Pyramid of Light!"

Timaeus looks straight at Anubis and nods. "Yes, and as a master of any bladed weapon, I have sworn to drive this dagger into thy Pyramid!" He lunges at Anubis again.

Anubis dodges again and shouts, "Andro Sphinx, Sphinx Teleia, protect your master!"

The Sphinxes stop their attack on the barrier, and turn to move towards Anubis. Yuni cancels the barrier and Weneg, Renpet, Heka, and Mana step forward. They begin to chant something. In front of them a vortex opens and out of it several chains come flying out. They wrap around the Sphinxes and immobilize them. Atem declares, "Good! But will it hold?"

Weneg says to Atem, "This is the very spell developed by Master Shimon to immobilize Exodia the Forbidden One before he sealed it into five different tablets, it will hold!" The Sphinxes struggle, but they can't break free.

Anubis, still dodging thrusts of Timaeus' dagger and realizing that help is not coming, shouts, "Aknadin, protect me!"

Aknadin nods. He chants something in Egyptian and release a pulse of shadow energy. The energy wraps around Timaeus and freezes him in place.

Timaeus struggles for a moment, but then shouts, "Nay, I shalt not yield!" His armor transforms and takes on its dragonoid attributes. He glows an intense green and breaks free of the shadowy prison. "Now thou wilt face the wrath of my blade!"

Anubis, seeing Timaeus' transformation, thinks back to the previous battle and how Timaeus fell under the god-destroying power of the Pyramid of Light. Thinking quickly, Anubis raises the Pyramid of Light, and summons a larger pyramid made of light around the battlefield.

Timaeus lunges once more at Anubis, but suddenly stops himself midway through his trajectory and cries out in intense pain. He falls to the ground. He looks up to Anubis, who is now walking towards him, and struggles to say, "Thou…shalt not…defeat me…"

Anubis grins. "It looks like I already have." He steps right up to Timaeus and kicks the Dagger of Fate out of his hand. It lands right on the edge of the Nile River, precariously perched. He then says, "You are of no threat to me now. Your time will come later, after I have dealt with the more immediate threat." He turns back to face Atem's group and declares, "Your plan has failed! You have lost the Dagger of Fate! Surrender now and your destruction will be merciful!"

Atem shouts back, "We'll never give up! Besides, you don't have any monsters to fight with!"

Anubis laughs. "You think your silly chains can bind my mighty Sphinxes!?" He holds up his Pyramid of Light, and the red gem in the center sparkles. "Andro Sphinx, Sphinx Teleia, break free from your prison using the power of the Pyramid of Light!" Both monsters roar and almost immediately break free the chains binding them.

The moment they do, the four High Priests all gasp in pain and are knocked to the ground by an invisible force. Brutus, Tori, and Cosmo run to their aid. The broken chains are pulled back into the vortex and it closes.

Yuni looks to Atem and says, "We have no choice. We have to fight directly now."

Atem nods in agreement. He raises his DiaDhank. "Come forth, Millennium Magician!" Mahad appears, ready to protect Atem.

Yuni pulls out a card and declares, "Let's try this one more time Cyber-Tech Magician!" Yuni's magician appears alongside Atem's. The two magicians are put face-to-face once more with the gigantic Sphinx monsters.

Anubis declares, "We've done this before Pharaoh! Your pathetic Magicians are no match for my Sphinxes!"

Atem then says, "Maybe you would just admit defeat and give up, but I would never. That's what sets apart the likes of you and me! I'll never give up while the lives of not only my friends, but the citizens of my kingdom itself are in jeopardy! Go, Dark Magic Attack!"

Yuni also shouts, "Cyber Magic Attack!" Both magicians unleash their attacks on a different Sphinx, but they seem to have no effect at all. The Sphinxes counterattack. The magicians float out of the way just in time to avoid destruction. Yuni says, "We're going to need more help if we're going to stop these monsters."

As if to answer Yuni's request for help, two monsters fly in from out of nowhere. It's the Cosmic Plasma Dragon and the Legendary White Dragon. Both monsters unleash a powerful aerial attack on the Sphinxes. Aknadin gasps. He says under his breath, "That's the Legendary White Dragon…Seto's monster spirit…"

Atem declares with relief, "There's your help Yuni! Seto, Isfet and your friends are here!"

Anubis demands, "Where did those monsters come from!?" He looks around, but sees no source. He turns to Aknadin and commands, "Go find the source of those monsters and stop them!"

Aknadin gathers his thoughts and then nods. "Yes…of course…" He runs off in the direction that the dragons came from. After running out the gates to the palace, he sees Seto, Celestia, Critias, and Priest Seto. He stops dead. "Seto…"

The group notices him and prepares for a fight, all except Priest Seto. He turns to the rest of them and says, "Wait, let me talk to him." They nod in response. Priest Seto steps forward. "Master Aknadin…Father, why are thou aiding this madman?"

Aknadin shakes his head. "No, he is not madman. He is your key to taking your rightful spot on the throne!"

Priest Seto shakes his head. "I am about to become the Pharaoh. The Pharaoh is about to step down, I will be his replacement. What don't thou understand?"

"No, you cannot trust the Pharaoh! He is no better than his father before him! They are both liars and will do whatever they can to keep their power! He would never give his power to you!"

"I trust the Pharaoh. Not only is he my cousin, he is my friend. He is honest."

Aknadin clenches his fists with suppressed rage. "Why won't you understand!? What I am doing is for your own good!"

Priest Seto shouts back, "Thou have allied yourself with a madman who seeks to destroy Egypt, thy own country! Thou are not thinking straight! Thou are letting thy hatred of the Pharaoh and thy own selfish desires to see me become Pharaoh cloud thy judgment! Now, I have a friend to save, thou can either get out of my way, or I will fight thee! I am not afraid to fight my own father."

Aknadin freezes up, unsure of what to do. Priest Seto takes another step forward. Seeing that Aknadin does not respond to this, he beckons for them all to move forward. They do so. As they're walking past Aknadin, he says, "The fight you are going into…you can't win. Don't fight it Seto, this is how we are going to achieve your destiny. You'll never defeat Anubis."

Priest Seto stops for a moment. He turns to Aknadin and says, "Then help us Father. Don't bend to the will of this madman. Help us defeat him. I can reinstate the position thou had before."

Aknadin shakes his head. "No, it is too late for me. I let you leave now, but once we reach the battlefield, we will be enemies."

Without saying anything, Priest Seto continues on his way.

Back at the battle, the two magicians and two dragons are flying around the sphinxes, using their increased mobility and agility to their advantage as they launch a barrage of attacks. Despite this, it seems to have no impact. Atem and Yuni look to the side to see Seto, Priest Seto, Critias, and Celestia running towards them. Yuni warns, "Critias, stand back, he has projected the same field as last time!" Critias stops in his tracks and backs off.

The other three catch up. Atem nods at Priest Seto, and Priest Seto nods back. Atem says, "It is good to see you again Seto."

Priest Seto responds, "And it is good to see thou as well. Now, let's defeat Anubis."

Aknadin uses his magic to teleport right next to Anubis. Anubis demands, "What happened!? They have received reinforcements!"

Aknadin lies, "I couldn't stop them. They took me by surprise."

Anubis nods, not entirely convinced. "Fine then, but don't fail me again." He then returns attention to the battlefield and shouts, "Enough of this foolishness! Destroy them!" Both Sphinx monsters track their target and attack a dragon each, the larger targets. The attacks land, destroying them both.

Seto and Priest Seto both grunt with pain. Aknadin nearly shouts out, but stops himself.

Atem says, "Without the power of the dragons backing our magicians' attacks, this battle isn't going to go well for us!"

Yuni says with despair, "I don't know what else to do!"

Isfet steps forward and declares, "I have an idea my Pharaoh." He holds up his Millennium Scale. Atem nods in understanding.

Yuni asks, "What? What is he going to do?"

Atem answers, "He's going to make our monsters more powerful by fusing them together."

Isfet steps closer to the monsters and points his Millennium Scale at them. He declares, "Millennium Scale, make one out of what was once two!" The scale glows, and the two magicians glow similarly. They are then pulled together into a vortex of light. What emerges is a new monster. While it does carry elements of both monsters, it seems to have become a new magician entirely. While the shape of the armor is almost unchanged, as both magicians had the same shaped armor, it is now a brilliant gold in color.

Atem gasps. "That's not just a fusion, they've become an entirely new monster! I've never seen this before!"

Yugi suggests to Yuni, _The two magicians where once one when they served Yu-Gi-Oh. This is them coming one step closer to their true form._

Yuni nods. He then says to Atem, "Let's hope that a whole new monster means whole new power."

They both declare, "Unleash your power Magician!" The new magician points its staff at the two sphinxes and charges a golden energy. It then unleashes an intense beam of golden energy at the opposing monsters. The sphinxes roar with pain.

Anubis is shocked. "No, impossible! You can't hurt my Sphinxes!" He looks closely and realizes something. "Andro Sphinx, grab Priest Seto!" Andro Sphinx reaches out of the attack and manages to grab Priest Seto, who is just close enough for it to grab. He screams. Anubis proclaims, "Stop your attack now Pharaoh, or Seto will be destroyed along with my monsters!"

Aknadin gasps. "No, you can't do that!"

Anubis barks, "I already told you, your son has to be sent to the Realm of the Dead anyways." Aknadin reluctantly stands down. He begins to contemplate something.

Atem and Yuni shout, "Stop the attack!" The magician obeys. The sphinxes are badly beat up and damaged, but not defeated.

Anubis laughs. "I'm glad we're on the same page. Now Andro Sphinx, destroy him."

Aknadin gasps. "No, they stopped the attack! Don't do this!"

Atem shouts, "Save Seto!" Andro Sphinx begins to squeeze Priest Seto, who shouts out in intense pain. The gold magician floats at high speeds towards the arm, and then unleashes another massive blast of energy, this time concentrated on the arm. The sudden attack causes the monster to lose its grip and drop Priest Seto. Celestia runs to his aid.

Anubis grunts. He turns to Aknadin and says, "The time is at hand, allow us to use our trump card. Fuse my Sphinxes to create Theinen the Great Shinx!"

Aknadin slowly shakes his head. "No."

"What!? Did you just refuse an order!? How dare you!?" He smacks Aknadin, sending him flying to the ground. "You are my servant! You obey me!"

Aknadin slowly gets up. "I cannot allow you to destroy my son. I will no longer be your slave."

"You'll regret that!" He grabs Aknadin by the neck and lifts him off the ground. He begins to choke him.

Aknadin gasps for air and struggles to say, "You…can…hurt me…but…you'll never…hurt…Seto…"

Anubis shakes his head. "No, because of your actions here, your son will be condemned to live an afterlife of torture and pain, and it's all your fault."

Aknadin looks up to Anubis. He then declares, "No." He stretches an arm out to the side, and through some magical power attracts the Dagger of Fate, still resting on the riverbank, to his hand. He attempts to stab Anubis' Pyramid of Light.

Anubis catches his arm by the wrist right before the dagger makes contact. He shakes his head. "Tsk, tsk, tsk. I expected more out of you Aknadin. You are no better than any other of this wretched land." His squeezing of Aknadin's wrist causes Aknadin to cry out in pain and drop the dagger. "Prepare to return to the Realm of the Dead!"

With one last force of will, Aknadin uses his magic and causes the blade to be flung into the air. It lands on the floor in front of Atem. Aknadin struggles to shout, "Please Pharaoh…save…my son…"

Atem picks up the dagger, looks at it, and says to himself, "Let's hope my aim is true." He looks at Anubis and focuses on the Pyramid of Light around his neck. He takes a deep breath and throws the dagger.

As if in slow motion, the dagger tumbles through the air as it flies at Anubis. Everyone watches with anticipation. Only once the dagger has almost reached him does Anubis realize what is happening. He looks at it with both shock and fear. He tries to get out of the way, but it's too late. The dagger hits its target, and almost like magic, sinks into the Pyramid.

Time returns to normal. An intense light begins to shine around the dagger. Anubis drops Aknadin shouts, "No!" Energy is drained both from his Pyramid and from him. He falls to his knees. His sphinxes begin to disintegrate into the goo they were created from. Anubis looks at the Pharaoh with absolute hatred and declares, "This isn't over Pharaoh! Someday I will return, and when that day comes, I will have my revenge!" He scream out in pain and then falls limply to the ground.

Atem responds to his last words, "You'll return, but you'll fail yet again."

Priest Seto runs over to Aknadin. He picks up his head and cradles it in his arms. He asks, "Father, are you okay?"

Aknadin replies weakly, "I am now that I know you are safe…" His body begins to fade away.

A tear comes to Priest Seto's eye. "Don't leave me now, you have to stay."

Aknadin slowly shakes his head. "No, I do not belong in this world. And only now do I realize that I must atone for my wrong-doings. I cannot remain on this plain of existence. Take off this mask." Priest Seto reaches for the mask and slowly removes it, revealing Aknadin's true face. "I only hope that when my soul is weighed my last act will be considered."

Priest Seto nods. "It will, I am certain."

"Farewell my son, my greatest regret is that I could not be the father that you needed…that you deserved…." With that, he disappears completely. The only part of him that doesn't disappear is the Millennium Eye. It falls to the ground and rolls away. By luck or design, it rolls to Weneg, who picks it up.

Atem walks up to Seto and puts his hand on his shoulder. "I'm so sorry Seto. Your father may have strayed from the path of light, but in the end, he proved that he would truly do anything to protect you, and if that's the case, he really can't be that bad."

Priest Seto slowly nods, and then stands up. He picks up the mask that Aknadin cast aside, crushes it, and then throws the pieces into the Nile.

Atem and the other High Priests surround the body of Anubis. Renpet asks, "What should we do about him?"

Atem answers, "I want him to be mummified and locked away in a tomb. Make sure you keep the Dagger of Fate in the same tomb. Place a curse on the tomb, we don't want anyone getting in before the time is right."

Mana asks, "'Right' my Pharaoh?"

Atem shakes his head. "Don't worry about it. Also, on the side of his sarcophagus, I want you to inscribe the prophecy I recited earlier."

The High Priests all nod and say, "It will be done my Pharaoh."

Atem turns to Yuni and Seto, who are with Critias, bending over Timaeus, trying to help him up. He asks, "So what's next, now that we have defeated Anubis?"

Yuni answers, "Now we must return to my time. Once there we can travel to our final destination. Yugi's time."


	19. Episode 126: Mirror Match

Episode 126: Mirror Match

_**Y.S.S. Yugoha's Legacy**_**, Interstellar Space**

Yuni is alone in a large, mostly empty room. Judging by the padded floors, and mirror on one wall, it seems to be some sort of training room. Yuni has his eyes closed and seems to be in a state of deep concentration. He thinks to himself, _Focus…I must center myself in a place of balance…a place of pure Chaos… _He then declares aloud, "Now let's do this!" It seems as if he expects for something to happen, but nothing does. He gives an exasperated groan and then says to himself, "This is never going to work." He hears the sound of something falling to the floor. He looks to the side to see Tori picking up an artifact she just knocked off its stand.

She waves awkwardly. "Hi Yuni…sorry to interrupt."

Yuni shakes his head. "Don't worry about it, it's fine." He sighs and takes a seat on floor. He motions for Tori to join him. "I could use a break."

Tori comes over and sits next to him. She asks, "You've been in here for hours. What are you doing?"

"Tori…you, Brutus, and I have been through a lot, right?"

She nods. "And don't forget Yugi."

Yuni smiles. "How could I? Anyways, we've faced so many evil forces that I can't even keep track of them anymore, but the approaching battle, Seto's and my destined battle with Ottiuk, is more serious than anything we have faced before. I want to make sure I'm ready."

"So what are you doing?"

"During the small amount of time that Apep had to train me, he told me that one tradition of the Lord of Chaos is to develop your own Chaos technique. A technique that plays to the user's strengths, and covers their weaknesses. I haven't put much thought into it until recently, when I realized that I'm going to need every edge I can get in the fight with Ottiuk."

Tori nods. "I see. So what's your idea?"

"Well, Apep also told me that such techniques are normally made by taking an established technique and refining it into something new that only the creator can truly master. In some of my studies I came across a technique known as Chaos Armor. It's one of the ultimate techniques when it comes to blending both offensive and defensive capabilities. I had the idea of mixing it with my technokinesis to form some sort of Chaos-Tech Armor."

Tori nods. "That sounds cool. How's it going?"

Yuni sighs. "Not well. I've barely made any progress. I wish Apep was here. He could teach me…" This thought saddens Yuni. Trying to change the topic, he asks, "So what are you doing here Tori?"

Her face lights up. "Of course, sorry." She pulls something out of her pocket. It's a small giftwrapped box that fits in the palm of her hand. "Happy birthday Yuni!"

Yuni shakes his head in disbelief. "Is it really my birthday?"

Tori nods. "Yup, as of five minutes ago, it just struck midnight at Domino City back on Earth."

Yuni takes the box. "I can't believe it, I've been so caught up in all of this Ottiuk stuff that I completely forgot."

Tori reminds him, "The time travel doesn't help much either." Yuni nods in agreement. "Actually, do you remember the night we fled Earth?" Before he can answer, she adds, "Of course you do, sorry, stupid question. Anyways, remember how it was with Seto when we met up?" Yuni nods. "I actually was meeting with him in his office when Ottiuk's spell was cast. I was trying to get him to help me throw you a big birthday party. I thought that after all the craziness we had gone through, you deserved a nice break from it all, and a party seemed like the perfect solution. Of course, it figures that it all turned out like this."

Yuni jokes, "That's the curse of being a friend of the reincarnation of Yu-Gi-Oh, you never get a normal life." They both laugh.

Tori asks, "So, are you going to open it?"

Yuni looks down to the box and nods. He rips of the wrapping and opens the box. He pulls out a small data chip. "What is it?"

Tori explains "Well...that's the problem. I considered just not giving it to you at all. It was supposed to be something for your holo-locket, but I guess you don't have that anymore, don't you?"

Yuni sighs. "No...I don't."

Tori adds, "However, that doesn't mean it's unusable. This data chip comes with a built in holo-projector. It can display its own image. Just press the button on the bottom."

Yuni presses the button to activate the holographic projector. The hologram displayed is of Yuni, Brutus, and Tori, all happy about something. Yuni is speechless.

"I'm sorry if you don't like it. I know that it was a little presumptuous of me, since that locket is how you remember your parents, but I thought-"

Yuni interrupts, "I love it Tori. It's perfect. I just wish I had my locket to put it in."

Tori grins. "Happy birthday Yuni." She hugs him, he hugs back. After hugging, Tori asks, "So, next stop is Yugi's time. How do you two feel about that?"

"We haven't really talked about it that much." _What do you think Yugi?_

_ I'm excited to see my home again, not to mention all my friends. I think it'll be great._

_ And with you in my head, we should have no trouble at all solving any problems that pop up._

_ You bet._

Over an intercom, Cosmo's voice announces, "Everyone please return to your seats, we're about to make planetfall." Yuni and Tori look to each other, and then get up to leave.

* * *

**Unnamed Planet**

Everyone has exited the ship, and they find themselves in the middle of the ruins of what seems to have been a massive futuristic city. Brutus asks, "What is this place?"

Cosmo answers, "This planet was a megalopolis, a massive city that covered the entire planet. It was abandoned during the ancient history of Yugoha for unknown reasons. It is also the location of the final Temporal Gate."

They walk through the abandoned streets until they make it to the familiar ring structure of the Temporal Gate. Celestia approaches the control panel and begins working. "Alright, I'm putting in the coordinates so we arrive in Yugi's time soon after Atem left Yugi, but hopefully not too long." She activates the gate.

Yuni asks, _How do you feel Yugi?_

_ Actually, now that you mention it, I feel nervous. _

Yuni grins. _There's nothing to feel nervous about, you're with me. We handle this together, just like we always do._

_ Right, there's nothing that can stop the two of us when we put our minds together. _They both laugh at his joke.

After a moment of silence, Yuni says, _You know what Yugi? At first I kind of resented having you stuck in my head. It was almost annoying, but since then I've realized how great it actually is. I'm glad that lightning bolt stuck just when it did._

_ So am I._

Cosmo announces, "Alright everyone, the gate is ready, let's move." Everyone steps into through the gate.

On the other side, they step into Domino City, as it was 5,000 years ago. Yuni asks, _How does it feel to be home Yugi? _He waits, but there is no response. _Yugi? Yugi!? _Still no response. "Guys, something's wrong." Everyone looks towards Yuni. "Yugi's gone."

Brutus asks, "What do you mean Yugi's gone?"

"I mean that he's not in my head anymore. I can't hear him." Everyone except the Setos gasp.

Tori asks, "How is that possible? What could have happened?"

Atem asks with fear, "Is Yugi alright?"

Cosmo then says, "I actually suspected something like this might happen. Yugi already exists in this time, so the essence of Yugi in your mind has rejoined its original body."

Tori asks, "But that doesn't make any sense. The Yugi in Yuni's head isn't even technically Yugi, it's just a neural imprint that replicates the original Yugi's mind. It should be able to exist on its own."

Cosmo shakes his head. "No, it is more than that. A neural imprint may have been the device, but Yuni and Yugi becoming one was more than the simple accident you think it to be. Just as Yugi was destined to bond with Atem, so was Yuni to bond with Yugi. They have not only shared a mind, but a spirit as well."

Tori turns to Yuni and asks, "How do you feel Yuni…without Yugi?"

Yuni shakes his head disbelief. "I…don't know…I feel so…empty without him."

Atem walks up to Yuni and pats him on the back. "I know the feeling. When I was separated from Yugi after my duel with Rafael I was so uncertain of myself and what to do."

Yuni shakes it off. "Come on, we've got to get moving. Don't worry about me, we've got to find Yugi and Kaiba. Where should we look?"

Celestia says, "I placed us right outside of the place we're most likely to find Yugi." She point behind them. Everyone turns around. Behind them is a building with a sign that says "GAME".

Tori geeks out, "Oh my gosh, it's actually Yugi's house!"

Yuni steps forward and says, "What are we waiting for then? Let's go."

Tori then says, "Better not, we don't want to startle Yugi or his grandpa. Why don't you let Brutus and I go in and see if he's there first."

Yuni nods. "Alright…good idea." Tori and Brutus enter the shop.

* * *

A little later, Brutus and Tori exit. Yuni quickly moves to them and eagerly asks, "So, was he there?"

They both shake their heads. Tori says, "No, only his grandpa. I asked him where Yugi was, but he just muttered something senseless about Yugi leaving for the market to get olives…three years ago."

Brutus then exclaims, "But guess what, I actually got to see a real life Blue-Eyes White Dragon!" Seto seems slightly intrigued by this, but quickly shakes it off.

Yuni says, "And something tells me that Yugi hasn't actually been at the market for three years…so how are we going to find him?"

Seto now steps forward. "We may not be able to find Yugi, but I know exactly where we could find someone else." He points down the street. He's pointing straight at Kaiba Corp Tower.

* * *

Seto Kaiba is sitting at his desk, working on his computer. He's dressed in his silver trench coat and suit. Over an intercom on his desk, a voice, "Mr. Kaiba, there's a group of people here to see you."

Kaiba, sounding annoyed, asks, "Do they have an appointment?"

"No…but…um…well you might just want to see them for yourself."

Kaiba sighs. "Fine, send them in."

A few minutes later, the group walks in. for a moment, Seto's eyes go wide. He then shakes his head, sighs, and says with annoyance, "I thought the crazy stage of my life was over. I'd say I must be hallucinating, but at this point I know that's not true. Alright, what's going on?"

Celestia steps forward and explains, "Seto…or…um, Kaiba, we have come here to recruit you to help us save the world. We face great evil that can only be stopped with your help."

Kaiba finds himself staring at Celestia and losing focus. This seems to aggravate Seto, Critias, and Priest Seto. He shakes himself out of it. "Look, I may be the world's number one CEO and duelist, but the guy you're looking for is named Yugi Muto, I'm sure you've heard of him."

Seto steps forward. "No, we need you too. Now, how about we make things simpler. I challenge you to a duel."

Kaiba grins. "I accept you challenge."

They are then transported to the realm outside of time. A Duel Disk appears around Kaiba's wrist. He activates it. Seto activates his Duel Gauntlet. Both declare at the same time, "Let's duel!"

Kaiba draws as he declares, "I'll take the first move. I summon Vorse Raider in Attack Mode (Dark/Level 4/Beast-Warrior/Normal/ATK 1900/DEF 1200)! I'll also set two cards and end my turn (Kaiba's hand: 3). I don't know what you were thinking challenging me to a duel. You might look like me, but that doesn't mean you have what it takes to take on Seto Kaiba."

Seto draws. "I have more than what it takes. I summon Plasma Ogre (Light/Level 4/Beast-Warrior/Effect/ATK 1900/DEF 1200)." Seto's monster is a grotesque beast composed of dark orange plasma. "I equip Plasma Ogre with Plasma Bonus. This card increases its level by one and attack 300 (Level: 5) (ATK: 2200)! Now Plasma Ogre, attack and destroy the Vorse Raider!"

Kaiba chuckles to himself. "You just made your second mistake. The first was challenging me to a duel, the second was trying to attack me. I activate my facedown card, Shrink! Now the attack of your monster is cut in half!" Plasma Ogre is reduced in size (ATK: 1100). "Counterattack now Vorse Raider!" Vorse Raider raises its axe.

Seto then says, "I'm not the only one who made a mistake."

"Impossible, I don't make mistakes!"

"You did when you declared the counterattack. A monster that destroys my Plasma Ogre is destroyed in the process, and you take the same amount of damage I would take!" Vorse Raider slashes through Plasma Ogre, and the Plasma Ogre explodes (Seto's LP: 3200) (Kaiba's LP: 3200).

Brutus marvels, "Wow, the two rich boys are matching each other move for move."

Celestia states, "It is actually not that surprising. Of all four incarnations of Prince Seto, Seto and Kaiba are the most alike, right down to their dueling style."

Atem says to Yuni, "Kaiba is no pushover, your friend will certainly have trouble defeating him."

Priest Seto then says, "But this Seto is of the same lineage as he and I. That infers that he has what it takes."

Timaeus then states, "The conclusion of this duel is not obvious. The only way to know the result is to wait and find out."

Yuni asks, _What do you think Yugi? You know Kaiba better than any of us…Yugi…? _He sighs. _Right…no Yugi… _This thought saddens him.

Seto declares, "I'll finish my turn by setting a card (Seto's hand: 3)."

Kaiba draws, and as he does, he is overtaken by a vision. He sees himself, only older. The older Kaiba is one we have seen before, in the message he recorded and had reserved for Seto. He has some streaks of gray hair and now wears a more casual business suit. Kaiba says sarcastically to himself, "Great, more hallucinatory visions. Just what I needed."

The older Kaiba is sitting at his desk in front of a recording device. He switches it off and says, "There. I may never get to bottom of this mystery, but hopefully my successor will…at least assuming Kaiba Corp still exists in 5,000 years." After a moment he then laughs. "Ha! What am I thinking, of course Kaiba Crop will last that long. After all, I built it."

The vision ends. Kaiba takes a moment to gather his thoughts, and then declares, "I summon the Kaiser Sea Horse (Light/Level 4/Sea Serpent/Effect/ATK 1700/DEF 1650). Then I'll activate the Spell Card Calling of the White Dragon! This card adds one Blue-Eyes monster from my deck my hand. As a bonus it also grants me an extra Normal Summon, assuming that summon is the tribute summon of a Blue-Eyes monster. It takes no leap in logic to guess which monster I'm adding to my hand. And thanks to the effect of the Kaiser Seahorse, it counts as two tributes for the summoning of a Light Attribute monster. I tribute the Kaiser Seahorse in order to summon the almighty Blue-Eyes White Dragon (Light/Level 8/Dragon/Normal/ATK 3000/DEF 2500)!" A familiar screeching roar is heard and then the white dragon with blue eyes descends down onto the field. It roars again.

Brutus and Tori look to each other in extreme excitement and freak out. Tori shouts, "Oh my gosh, it's actually the Blue-Eyes White Dragon!"

Brutus shouts back, "I know! I never thought I'd see a real one played!"

Atem asks, "Why? What has happened to the Blue-Eyes White Dragons in your time?"

Tori explains, "After Kaiba retired from dueling, his deck was put on display in museums around the world. On multiple occasions attempts were made to steal them. It wasn't long before they had to be locked away for good in a vault. Actually, the same vault that holds the Egyptian God Cards as well.

Kaiba declares, "Fear my dragon! Blue-Eyes White Dragon, attack directly with White Lightning!"

Seto declares back, "I'm not afraid of your dragon, for I have a card to deal with it! I activate my facedown card, Negate Attack and halt your dragon's attack before it harms me!" Blue-Eyes has begun to release energy from its mouth, but then stops and the energy fizzles out.

"Blue-Eyes and I can wait. We're patient (Kaiba's hand: 2)."

Seto draws. He grins.

Kaiba asks, "What are you grinning about? No monster in that deck of yours can defeat my Blue-Eyes."

Seto shakes his head. "None save one can, and I just drew it. First, since you control a monster above level four, and I don't, I can summon the Cosmic Ascendant without tributes (Light/Level 5/Spellcaster/Effect/ATK 1200/DEF 1900). Then the effect of my Cosmic Ascendant, like that of your Kaiser Sea Horse allows it to count as two tributes. I tribute it in order to Special Summon my own ultimate dragon! I summon the Cosmic Plasma Dragon (Light/Level 8/Dragon/Effect/ATK 3000/DEF 2500)!" Seto's mighty signature dragon appears on the field in an inferno of Plasma. It roars. Blue-Eyes reacts to it by roaring back. The two dragons then roar together.


	20. Episode 127: Return of the King

Episode 127: Return of the King

**Outside of Time**

In the middle of Seto and Kaiba's match, both have now summoned their mighty dragons, the Cosmic Plasma Dragon (Light/Level 8/Dragon/Effect/ATK 3000/DEF 2500) and the Blue-Eyes White Dragon (Light/Level 8/Dragon/Normal/ATK 3000/DEF 2500). Both dragons roar together, and this roaring resonates with Seto and Kaiba, pulling them into a vision. The two of them float over a grand chamber of some kind. Kaiba complains, "Great, now I really am hallucinating again."

Seto shakes his head. "No, just bear with me here. Apparently, we are being shown a vision from our shared past life."

"Great, just what I need, more Ancient Egyptian sorcery."

Seto shakes his head. "No…this is different."

Then they notice a commotion below them. Prince Seto has stomped into the room. Prince Yu-Gi-Oh comes running after him, shouting, "Brother, wait! It does not have to come to this!"

Prince Seto turns and shouts with anger, "You may be my brother, but you know that the throne rightfully belongs to me!"

Yu-Gi-Oh shouts back, "Not according to Chronos! He says the throne is mine!"

"And Quantus has declared that the throne is mine!" He stops for a moment. "There is only one way to settle this." There is a glowing light, and suddenly his rainbow-eyed dragon golden dragon appears behind him.

Yu-Gi-Oh begrudgingly admits, "If that is what I must do for the good of the empire… then I will fight you!" Another flash of light and his golden magician appears behind him.

Both brothers shout at once, "Attack!" With a magical blast from the magician's scepter, and golden flames from the dragon's mouth, the two monsters attack. The attacks collide, equally powerful. There is then a blinding flash of golden light. When it subsides, most of the room is destroyed, and both monsters are gone.

Yu-Gi-Oh declares, "We are evenly matched, as always. This is no way to settle things."

Prince Seto agrees, "You're right, an empire's fate can't rest solely upon a duel of spirits. I have supporters and allies. They will battle in my name, Seto, true Emperor of Yugoha! I will take what is rightfully mine if you do not back down!"

Yu-Gi-Oh shakes his head. "No, that's not the answer either." He then looks Prince Seto straight in the eyes. "Besides, I have backers and allies willing to fight for me as well."

Prince Seto turns to leave the room. As he does, he declares, "Then war it is."

The vision ends. Seto says to Kaiba, "You see, our heritage goes far beyond Ancient Egypt and Priest Seto. It goes back before even Atlantis and Critias. You will yourself make the connections, many years from now, and send a message to me to alert me of your findings. It is because of this message that my mind is open to such events."

This reminds Kaiba of the vision he had earlier. However, Kaiba seems dubious. "How is it that I make the connection years in the future if you're telling me right now?"

"Time travel. Where I come from, you never met me."

"Great…first it's fairy tales now its science fiction." He shakes his head. "It doesn't matter. Finish your move already."

Seto nods. "It would be my pleasure. By banishing the Cosmic Ascendant from my graveyard, I can boost the power of my Cosmic Plasma Dragon by 500 (ATK: 3500). Now Cosmic Plasma Dragon, destroy his Blue-Eyes White Dragon with Plasma Stream of Destruction!"

Kaiba counters, "Activate facedown card: Will of the White Dragon! This Trap Card negates an attack launched against a Blue-Eyes monster and then reduces your monster's attack back down to its original value!" Blue-Eyes roars and the Cosmic Plasma Dragon's attack is halted (ATK: 3000).

"In that case I set a card and end my turn (Seto's hand: 1)."

Kaiba draws. He grins at what he has drawn. "Everything has been set up for the perfect move. I summon the Blue-Eyes White Wyvern (Light/Level 4/Dragon/Effect/ATK 1700/DEF 1300)." The monster is a smaller dragon with wings replacing its arms. Due to its coloration and overall design, it looks quite a bit like the Blue-Eyes White Dragon. "While on the field or in the grave, the name of the Blue-Eyes White Wyvern becomes Blue-Eyes White Dragon. But there's a little added bonus too. Since I summoned it while I controlled a real Blue-Eyes White Dragon, I now get to draw a card." Kaiba draws. "Since I control a Blue-Eyes monster, I can special summon the Blue-Eyes White Drake (Light/Level 2/Dragon/Effect/ATK 1500/DEF 1250)." This monster appears to be a smaller, quadrupedal version of the Blue-Eyes White Dragon. "The effect of my Drake allows me discard a card from my hand and tribute a Blue-Eyes White Dragon I control in order to special summon two Blue-Eyes white Dragons from my hand, deck, or graveyard." Kaiba discards a Kaibaman to activate the effect. "Since the Blue-Eyes White Wyvern is currently treated as a Blue-Eyes White Dragon, I'll tribute it." The wyvern disappears and there is a flash of blue light. Kaiba now controls three Blue-Eyes White Dragons. They all roar.

Brutus and Tori freak out again. Brutus shouts with excitement, "All three of Kaiba's Blue-Eyes!"

Tori adds, "This is amazing!"

Kaiba grins confidently, "And I still have one card left to play."

Seto nods. "Of course, you're going to use Polymerization to fuse your three Blue-Eyes into one."

"Correct and incorrect. While I do plan on fusing them, let me ask you this: what is the point in using a normal Polymerization when I have a superior option? I activate Blue-Eyes Fusion! This card serves as a replacement for Polymerization that only my Blue-Eyes can use, and with added benefits. Now, I fuse my three Blue-Eyes White Dragons into one! I summon the Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon (Light/Level 12/Dragon/Fusion/ATK 4500/DEF 3800)!" The three dragons are sucked into a swirling vortex of blue and white. When they emerge, it's in their three-headed form.

Tori and Brutus are too much in awe to speak any words.

Seto asks, "A fearsome monster yes, but what are these added benefits you mentioned?"

Kaiba grins. "I'm glad you asked. The only true weakness of the Blue-eyes White Dragon and Ultimate Dragon are their lack of effects. Blue-Eyes Fusion remedies this situation by turning the Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon into an effect monster with a very powerful effect."

"And that effect is…?"

"Once per turn, the Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon may special summon a Blue-Eyes monster from the grave or hand. With that, return to me, Blue-Eyes White Dragon!" One of Kaiba's Blue-Eyes returns to the field with a roar. "Then it gains 500 Attack Points for every Blue-Eyes monster I control besides itself (ATK: 5000)." The Ultimate Dragon now roars. "Tell me Seto, can you withstand the onslaught, of not one, not three, but four Blue-Eyes White Dragons?"

Seto dares, "Why don't you attack and we'll find out."

"Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon, attack! Neutron Blast!" Each of the three heads begins to gather a different color energy in their mouths. They then release them in three separate beams that twist around each other. The attacks makes contact with Cosmic Plasma Dragon, completely destroying it. The shockwave of the attack is so powerful that it knocks Seto off his feet (Seto's LP: 1200). Seto manages to get back up, but struggles to do so. Kaiba then declares, "This is what happens to those who challenge the master of the Blue-Eyes White Dragon! Finish this duel off Blue-Eyes, White Lightning!"

Seto grins. "I could say the same about those who challenge the master of the Cosmic Plasma Dragon! I activate Cosmic Justice! This card not only brings back my recently destroyed Cosmic Plasma Dragon, but it negates your attack and makes my dragon even more powerful by increasing its level by the level of your Blue-Eyes!" The Cosmic Plasma Dragon reappears and Blue-Eyes' attack is stopped (Level: 16). "And with an increase in level, my Cosmic Plasma Dragon gets an increase in power (ATK: 3800)!"

"But it still isn't powerful enough to defeat my Ultimate Dragon. I end my turn (Kaiba's hand: 0)."

Seto shakes his head. "Not yet at least." He draws. "But it will be. Cosmic Plasma Dragon, attack the Blue-Eyes White Dragon! Plasma Stream of Destruction!" With a blast of white-blue plasma, Blue-Eyes is destroyed (Kaiba's LP: 2400). "With the destruction of your Blue-Eyes, two things happen. First, your Ultimate Dragon loses its attack boost (ATK: 4500), and second, my Cosmic Plasma Dragon absorbs the levels of the Blue-Eyes White Dragon (Level: 24) (ATK: 4600). Now, I activate the Quick-Play Spell Card, Emergency Evolution! At the cost of 1000 life points, this card allows me to instantly Evolve one of my monsters (Seto's LP: 200)! Cosmic Plasma Dragon comes from the stars, the power of the cosmos pump through his veins! Now that astronomical power multiplies times three! Come to me Cosmic Tri-Pulsar Dragon (Light/Level 12/Dragon/Evolution/ATK 4500/DEF 3800)!" After undergoing Evolution, Seto's three-headed dragon of light appears.

Kaiba states, "I may not know what an Evolution Monster is, but I do know that you only made your monster weaker. As impressive as your new monster is, its attack merely matches my Ultimate Dragon's attack. You can't defeat it anymore."

Seto grins. "Just watch me. Cosmic Tri-Pulsar Dragon, Pulsar Blast Attack!"

Kaiba is surprised, but not caught off guard. He counters, "Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon, Neutron Blast Attack!" The two three-headed dragons unleash their triple fold energy beam attacks. The two attacks meet midfield. They are perfectly matched and cancel each other out, resulting in a massive shockwave that destroys both dragons. Kaiba points out, "You must have been really desperate to destroy my Ultimate Dragon, because you just destroyed your own monster in the process."

Seto nods. "That was the goal, for now the effect of Tri-Pulsar Dragon kicks in!" This surprises Kaiba. "When it destroys a monster by battle, you take damage equal to that monster's attack! That means the strength of your Ultimate Dragon is now working against you!"

Kaiba can't believe it. "Impossible."

Seto asserts, "Possible." A blast of energy surrounds Kaiba (Kaiba's LP: 0). The duel ends.

Everyone is brought back to Kaiba's office. Kaiba looks around at all them. "Alright, fine, I think it's time someone tells me going on here."

Yuni steps forward to explain, "As you already know, we are all part of a chain of reincarnation of ancient princes of a galactic empire. A malevolent entity from that time has reappeared in our time, 5,000 years from now, and is seeking to destroy the world. The only way to stop it is with the help of all the reincarnations across time and space. Now that we've found you, Yugi is the only one we need."

Kaiba laughs. "Ha, you're looking for Yugi? Good luck finding him."

Tori asks, "Why?"

"Because Yugi disappeared days ago. No one knows where he is."

Atem asks, "Do you have any clue of where he might be? It's vitally important that we find him."

Kaiba shakes his head. "No, he just left one day with his cheerleaders and hasn't been seen since…" He stops to think. "Though, now that I think about it, I believe I did hear him mention something about India."

The moment he says India, Yuni and Atem look to each other with surprise. Yuni looks back to Kaiba and asks, "Are you absolutely certain he said India? Not…Indiana or something like that?"

"I'm certain he said India."

Brutus asks, "Why Yuni, what's in India?"

Yuni doesn't even respond he instead asks Kaiba, "Can you get us to India?"

"I'm the head of Kaiba Corporation. Of course I can get you there."

"Then let's go. It's important that we get there as soon as possible." He looks back to Atem, who looks very worried. Yuni seems equally worried.

* * *

A helicopter with the KC logo on its side lands in the dense jungle of India next to a lake. Kaiba asks, "This is where you want to land?"

Yuni looks around. "Yes. This looks right. What do you think Atem?"

"It's been a while since I've been here, but yes, it looks like the right place."

Kaiba turns to the pilot and says, "Alright, you wait with the helicopter. We hopefully won't take too long."

The pilot nods. "Yes sir."

Everyone gets out. Yuni leads the group off into the jungle. Brutus asks, "Come on Yuni, I've been asking the entire ride. What's in India?"

Yuni only replies, "Something that Yugi thought he was done with." He continues to lead them through the jungle.

A little later, he stops. "Brutus…that is what's in India." Everyone else catches up. They stop and gasp at what they're seeing. It's an Egyptian-styled pyramid.

Tori says with disbelief, "No, that's impossible. There aren't pyramids like that in India. This must be some kind of hoax or something."

Yuni shakes his head. "I'm afraid not, Tori."

She looks at him. "So can you explain it?"

"You know your history. What major link in the ancient past connects Egypt to India?"

Tori is caught off guard. "Well…I'm sure there's a lot of things…What comes to my mind right away is Alexander the Great."

Yuni nods. "Exactly. Welcome everyone to the Temple of Capsule Monsters."

* * *

Everyone's now walking through the interior of the pyramid. Tori is looking all around it in disbelief. Brutus catches up to Yuni and asks, "So when you say Capsule Monsters…do you mean like that one board game?"

Atem answers for him, "Yes, similar to how Duel Monster is based off of the Ancient Egyptian Shadow Games, the Capsule Monsters board game was based off of this ancient game played by Alexander the Great. It is a game meant to test the worthiness of a king. If one could complete the game, then they were the true king and able to obtain the Power of the King."

Tori asks, "And Yugi played this game too?"

Atem and Yuni both nod. Atem says, "He played it with me at his side."

"So why do you two seemed so worried?"

Atem answers, "Because it is a dangerous game, in some ways even worse than a Shadow Game."

Yuni adds gravely, "Even worse still, it wasn't supposed to happen this way. Yugi was supposed to defeat the game, seal it away, and never return. Something has gone wrong with the timeline."

Brutus suggests, "Maybe Yugi just never told you about his second time here."

Yuni shakes his head. "No. Remember, I shared a mind with Yugi for over a year. I know everything that happened to him. This did not."

Timaeus then steps forward, "I may not have a clue as to what is transpiring here, but what if Yugi isn't here? What if thou art just assuming incorrectly? We have no clues to suggest he is here. He could be anywhere in India."

Atem answers, "That's what I hoped coming in, but it isn't the case. When Yugi and I completed the game, the pyramid sealed itself away and was buried beneath the earth. If it has reappeared, it is for a reason."

Yuni walks into the next room and stops. He says, "This is it." Everyone else enters.

The room is a large chamber. Sprawled across the floor is some sort of giant map with a grid on it. Atem observes, "The map has changed…this is a different game entirely."

Cosmo looks at the map and is suddenly surprised. He looks to Celestia, who is also surprised. The two nod, realizing that they're thinking the same thing.

Tori asks, "So how does this all work?"

Yuni explains, "This map represents the world of the game. It's kind of like the board for the Capsule Monsters board game. Where ever we step onto, we'll be transported to a corresponding area in the game."

"And how does this game work?"

"Similarly to the Capsule Monsters board game, the goal is to assemble a collection of monsters to do battle with other monsters encountered throughout the game. The goal is to complete five tasks presented by the game."

Atem then adds, "However, as the board has changed, it wouldn't surprise me if the game itself has as well. There's no guessing what's in there."

Critias asks, "So we could be faced with anything whilst in there?"

Yuni nods. "Indeed."

Priest Seto surmises, "So we just need to figure out which tile will lead us to Yugi the fastest."

Yuni nods. "It would be ideal if we could go right to where he is."

Brutus points across the room to the other side of the map. "I don't think that will be that hard. Look over there." One of the tiles on the grid has begun to glow.

Tori exclaims, "It looks like something important is happening over there! It might be Yugi!"

Yuni nods. "It might be. I don't think we have any better options, so I say we go."

Atem nods. "I agree."

Yuni then directs, "Okay then, everyone around the board. Be careful not to step on any tiles except for that one." Everyone walks around the map until they make it to the side with the glowing tile. It's a space away from the edge, so it's going to take a jump to reach. Yuni steps forward. "Alright, I'll go first." He takes a deep breath and hesitates for a moment.

Tori asks him, "What is it Yuni? Is something wrong?"

Yuni shakes his head. "No, it's not that anything's wrong. If anything, it's that something is right. Even though it hasn't been that long, I'm already missing Yugi. Having him in my head for a year, and then having him suddenly vanish has left an enormous empty chasm in my mind. Now, not only am I about to meet up with Yugi again, but I actually get to meet him face-to-face."

Tori nods. "I understand."

Atem comments, "I too know how you are feeling. The chance to meet Yugi again has me on edge as well. Now come, let us move onwards."

Yuni nods, looks to the map, and then leaps onto the glowing tile and disappears the moment he touches it. One by one, each of the others follow.

On the other side, they all appear in some sort of ancient ruins in the middle of a jungle. They're all wearing Capsule Launcher gauntlets and capsule carrying belt. Atem points off to the distance. "Look, over there!"

Standing across the ruins is the unmistakable figure of Yugi, with his back turned to them. He's wearing the Dark Magician Duel Armor. Yuni starts to run towards him excitedly. He shouts, "Yugi!" Yugi turns his head in surprise toward Yuni. The moment he does, a blast of dark energy comes from where he was facing. The attack hits Yugi and knocks him to the ground. Yuni's look of excitement turns to horror. "Yugi!" He runs until he makes it to Yugi and lifts him into his arms. Yugi looks extremely weak. He is slightly different than the Yugi we know, looking older, but not yet as old as Atem or Yuni. Yuni asks with worry, "Yugi, are you alright?"

Yugi asks weakly, "Pharaoh…is that you? I've failed…my time is through…"

A tear comes to Yuni's eye. "No Yugi, don't say that. You're not through yet. This isn't how it ends for you."

Yugi shakes his head. "No…it is. I've lost…I'm through…"

"Don't say that Yugi. Don't." Everyone else has caught up. They look sadly upon the scene, especially Atem.

"I'm…so glad…I got to…see you again Pharaoh…before…before…"

Yuni is about to tell him he isn't the Pharaoh, when Atem shakes his head. Yuni nods in understanding.

"Goodbye Pharaoh…" Yugi disappears from Yuni's arms.

Yuni continues to cry. He then shouts out in intense anger, "Who did this! Show yourself!"

Out of the shadows walks a figure wearing a black robe with a hood concealing his face. "I did. You're too late Yu-Gi-Oh. I have not only slain one of your incarnations, but in doing so, I have won the Power of the King for myself. You have no hope of defeating me." The voice is obviously that of Otto/Ottiuk.

Cosmo and Celestia look to each other with extreme worry. Cosmo pulls out some sort of remote. Yuni stands up and starts marching towards Otto. "I'll destroy you for what you did Ottiuk! Mark my words, I'll destroy you!"

Otto laughs. "I'd like to see you try."

Yuni charges at Otto screaming with rage, his eyes glowing with the purple energy of Darkness.


	21. Episode 128: Fall of the King

Episode 128: Fall of the King

**The Land of Capsule Monsters, 5,000 Years Ago**

Yugi has vanished from existence. Everyone is reacting in some way or another. Tori is crying, while Brutus fights back tears. Atem is completely at a loss, and simply wears a depressed look on his face. Cosmo and Celestia are horrified. Even Kaiba looks surprised for once. Yuni though, he is reacting with pure rage. His eyes are glowing purple with energy of Darkness. He looks to Otto, the one who just destroyed Yugi, and shouts with rage, "I'll destroy you!"

Otto laughs. "I'd like to see you try."

Yuni begins to screams with rage and lunges at Ottiuk.

Cosmo looks down to a remote-like device he has pulled out of a pocket. He presses a button on it, and the moment he does everyone except for Otto reappears back on the abandoned city planet outside the temporal gate.

Yuni lunges and trips, as his target is no longer in front of him. He looks back to Cosmo with fury and demands, "Put me back! Put me back now!"

Cosmo declares in a strict tone, "Calm yourself Yuni!"

"I won't calm myself until I've destroyed that monster! Now put me back!"

Tori cries, "Yuni, stop this, please! You're scaring me…This isn't what Yugi would have wanted."

Yuni turns to her and shouts, "How dare you pretend to know what Yugi would want!? You know nothing of him! Nothing!" Tori cowers in fear.

Atem says, "Stop this Yuni. She's right. This isn't what Yugi would want. And I do know that."

Yuni now turns to him. "You left Yugi! You have no say in this matter! Maybe if you had stayed with him, he wouldn't have been defeated here!" This statement hurts Atem.

Seeing how he's treated Tori and Atem, Brutus is now angered. He marches up to Yugi and slaps him across the face. "Snap out of it Yuni, this isn't you speaking! You're letting the Darkness take control of you again."

Yuni turns away. "Maybe I am, but it doesn't matter. All that matters now is avenging Yugi."

Brutus puts a hand on Yuni's shoulder. "Please Yuni, calm down."

Yuni swats his hands away. "Don't ever touch me again!" He then scream with rage. He looks back to Cosmo. "Are you going to bring me back or not!?"

Cosmo shakes his head. "No Yuni, I'm not."

"So what!? We lose and we're just going to run away!? I'm not running away!"

Cosmo shakes his head. "No, I never said we were running away. Now calm down Yuni. Take from one with experience, you cannot allow Darkness to control your actions."

Yuni ignores the last statement. He demands, "If we're not going to run away, what are we doing?"

Cosmo grins confidently. "We're going to save Yugi."

Yuni's eyes open wide with surprise. "What…?"

"You forget, we are time travelers. As we speak, Celestia is reprogramming the gate to take us back to before Yugi was defeated. If we can get to him in time, he never will have perished."

Yuni is stunned. "We…can…save…Yugi…?" He blinks, and as he does so, the Darkness disappears from his eyes. He suddenly faints and begins to fall to the floor. Tori and Brutus catch him and set down against a wall.

Atem asks, "Do you really mean that? Can we save Yugi still?"

Cosmo nods. "Yes, assuming everything goes right for us, we should be able to at least try."

Critias suddenly realizes something. He marches angrily up to Cosmo, grabs him by the shirt, and lifts him up with one hand. He demands, "If what thou says is true, then why did thou not do that to save Hermos!? Thou could have saved him, and thou didn't!"

Cosmo shakes his head. "I truly am sorry, but that wasn't an option. You see, the temporal gates are ancient artifacts, normally beyond our control. There is only so much we can do with them. To go back and repeat an event risks destroying the entire system of temporal gates. I'm sorry, but we absolutely need Yugi to save the galaxy, and if Ottiuk gets his hands on the Power of the King, then we've certainly lost. As much as I'm sure you'd hate to hear this, Hermos just wasn't worth the risk."

Critias shouts, "How dare thou say that!?"

Timaeus steps forward, "Set him down Critias. He is right. Hermos may have been our dear friend and comrade-in-arms, but the fate of the world is vastly more important than any one man's life." Critias reluctantly sets down Cosmo and stomps away.

Tori asks, "So why not instead of saving Yugi, we just go to a time before Yugi went to India? That way he would never even be in danger."

Cosmo shakes his head. "No, that wouldn't work. As I already explained, the temporal gate is already locked to certain time frame. Once we made our trip, we locked it even closer. We may be able to get there a couple of hours, maybe even a day earlier, but no more. And then with Kaiba already here, we can go straight to Yugi."

Brutus says, "Hey, I've seen enough sci-fi holos to know that bad stuff happens if we meet ourselves while time traveling. Are we going to have to worry about that?"

Cosmo shakes his head. "No, the temporal gates were designed to not have a lasting impact on the timeline. Once we left, we were removed from the events, at least the ones in the timeline we're visiting. We won't meet ourselves."

Brutus nods with relief.

Tori looks down to the unconscious Yuni and asks, "Do you think he'll be okay Cosmo?"

Cosmo sighs. "It's hard to say. In the past year, Yuni has had a lot of pressure put onto him. Through all that pressure, Yugi was always with him. Now for the first time he's dealing with it without him. Yuni being the Lord of Chaos only complicates matters. I have a feeling that all this time Yuni has managed to keep his inner Chaos in balance has been because of Yugi. Yugi provides a constant source of Light that keeps the temptation of Darkness at bay. It's actually completely possible that Yuni never would have managed as Lord of Chaos without Yugi. Now with Yugi gone, Yuni's going to have to be more careful than ever about keeping himself in check, or else what just happened will happen again…but worse."

Celestia pipes in, "Alright Father, I've finished the recalibrations. I'm not certain how many hours we'll get, but it should get us some time to work with."

Cosmo nods. "Good." He walks over to Yuni and shakes him. "Come on Yuni, we have to get moving to save Yugi."

Yuni slowly returns to consciousness. He looks around, slightly confused. "What…just happened?"

Brutus asks, "You don't remember what just happened?"

Yuni is about to respond, when all the memories come flooding into his mind. First of watching Yugi get attacked, then of Yugi disappearing in his arms, and then of his fit of rage and Darkness. He looks around at everyone. "I'm so sorry everyone. I don't know what came over me…"

Cosmo says, "We don't have enough time to worry about it. We have to get moving right away. I do have to warn you though, we cannot fail this time. The temporal gate would not be able to handle yet another trip back in time. This truly is our last chance."

Yuni nods and gets up. "Then we won't fail." With that, everyone walks into the gate.

On the other side, they find themselves back in the map room of the pyramid. There is no longer a glowing tile.

Yuni suggests, "Well, I guess we might as well go to the tile were we saw Yugi…" he gulps and doesn't finish the sentence. "Then we can just wait there until he gets there." Everyone nods in agreement.

They walk around the game board to the same tile as before. Yuni jumps onto it, but nothing happens. Tori asks, "Why didn't it work?"

Kaiba comments, "Looks like your board game is broken."

Then the first row of tiles in the front side of the room begin to glow. Atem realizes, "The game doesn't want us to skip to the end. Before, Yugi had already played through the game, so it let us join him there. Now we have to go to the beginning and find Yugi ourselves."

Yuni nods. "That sounds reasonable." He gets off the board and leads everyone back to the front of the room. Before he steps on, he turns to everyone and says, "Wait, I've got an idea."

Tori asks, "What is it?"

"I think we should split into two groups and have one stay here. Then maybe once that tile over there starts glowing, they can skip right to the end."

Atem nods. "That is a sound plan."

Yuni looks around. "Alright then. Tori, Brutus, Cosmo, Celestia, Seto, Kaiba, and I will go in first. Atem, Priest Seto, Critias, and Timaeus will wait."

Atem declares, "No, I'm going in first. I need to help you save Yugi. I know this game better than any of you."

Yuni shakes his head. "No, that's why you need to be with the second team. Don't forget, I know all about this game too via Yugi. The second team needs someone with experience too. That's why you should wait."

Atem nods. "I see your point." He sighs. "Alright, fine. You go ahead, we'll wait."

Yuni nods. "Thank you." He turns to step onto the board. Right before he does, he stops and turns back to Atem. "For what it's worth, I really am sorry about what I said before. This is by no means your fault. I didn't mean it."

Atem nods. "I know what it is like to let your dark emotions take control of you."

Yuni grins, then turns back to the board. He steps on. Everyone else in his group follows.

Once transported, they find themselves in the middle of a dense and dark forest at night, similar to where Yugi and his friends were brought when they first entered the game. Everyone is once more equipped with Capsule Launchers and a belt to hold capsules. Tori asks, "Alright, we're here, back in the game. What do we do now?"

Yuni looks around. "I don't know. As Atem said before, this could be a whole new game. My best suggestion would be to just move forward. If this really is a game, a goal should present itself to us. Whatever that goal is, it will probably be the same as Yugi's, meaning we can possibly catch up with him." He beckons for everyone to follow him, and he begins to walk forward. Everyone follows. Yuni calls out, "Yugi, can you hear me!? Are you there!?" He waits a moment, but there is no reply.

Everyone just continues to walk in silence, at least until a loud roar is heard. Brutus cowers in fear and asks, "Was that just me, or did you guys hear something too?"

Tori replies, "No, I definitely heard that too. What was it Yuni?"

Yuni is looking off toward wear the roar was heard from. "Just as monsters do battle in the Capsule Monsters board game, so too do they here. That was such a monster."

Just as Yuni finishes saying that, the roar is heard again. It's louder this time.

Seto observes, "Whatever that beast is, it's getting closer."

Brutus asks, "But wait, how do we fight it? We don't have our Duel Gauntlets and decks with us here."

Before Yuni can answer, the ground begins to shake. Another roar, even louder is heard. Then a great, giant beast comes plowing through the trees, knocking them down. It's a hideous behemoth with red skin, the Great Angus monster. It stops, looks to the group, stomps its feet, roars wildly, and then charges at them.

Everyone leaps to the side. In doing so, Yuni notices that a capsule has been revealed by the beast's destruction of the forest. He leaps at it and places a hand on it, declaring, "This is how you fight it." The moment his hand touches the capsule, it cracks open like an egg, and a beam of light shoots out. A mechanical bird, the Cyber Falcon, appears above Yuni. Yuni commands, "Cyber Falcon, attack the Great Angus!"

The Cyber Falcon shrieks in a semi-mechanical tone and dives at the Great Angus. It swipes at it with its talons, but does little to harm it. The Great Angus just roars again and charges at Yuni.

Tori nods. "Oh, I get it. Those are like the capsules we let monsters out of in the board game." She looks around and spots a capsule nestled in between some rocks. She runs for it and taps it. It breaks, also releasing a pillar of light. In front of Tori appears a Guardian Statue. Just in time too, because the Great Angus is now charging at her. "Block it Guardian Statue!" The Guardian Statue raises its large arms in a defensive pose and stops the Great Angus in its tracks. The beast roars with rage.

Yuni nods. "Good job Tori. Attack again Cyber Falcon!" Cyber Falcon begins a series of swooping dives on the monster while Tori's statue holds it in place.

Brutus is looking high and low for a capsule of his own. He spots one and runs for it. "Don't worry, I'll help out too!" He dives for the capsule and taps it. It shatters. Out of the light emerges the Giant Orc. Brutus cheers, "Oh yeah, that's a monster I can work with! Giant Orc, let's beat this beast!" Giant Orc charges at the still restrained Great Angus and swipes its club down on it, bludgeoning it. The Great Angus is destroyed and vanishes. Brutus cheers, "Oh yeah! I rule! Yes I do!"

Tori laughs and says, "Hey, that was a team effort."

Brutus says with arrogance, "But I delivered the finishing blow."

Yuni looks up to his Cyber Falcon and nods. The monster turns into a small capsule and falls into Yuni's hand. He places it in his belt. Tori's and Brutus' monster also revert into capsules and fall to the floor. Both go to pick them up and copy Yuni.

Kaia comments, "Alright, that's great. You've beat your first monster, but we still have no clue how to find Yugi. Are you going to suggest that we continue to wander aimlessly through this forest until we just happen to bump into him?"

Seto nods. "I agree. We need a better plan than that."

Yuni shrugs. "I don't know. That's all I can really suggest."

Cosmo steps forward and declares, "No, that is not what we should do. As you can tell, it is late at night. Not only have none of us gotten much sleep recently, but the monsters in this forest are certainly going to be more active at night. I say we set up a camp and light a fire to keep any monsters away."

Tori nods in agreement. "That's a good idea. Then we can figure out a better plan of action tomorrow."

Yuni looks up to the sky. "I don't like it. We only have so much time before Yugi…before we have to get to Yugi. I don't think we should waste that time."

Brutus says, "Come on Yuni, Yugi hasn't even made it to the final area yet, I'm sure we have plenty of time."

Yuni suddenly shouts with anger, "You have no way of knowing that! We could only have an hour or less for all you know!" A hint of Darkness can be heard in his voice.

Everyone looks at Yuni with either fright, disappointment, or scorn. Cosmo steps up to Yuni and says calmly, "I know it's important to you to save Yugi, but that doesn't mean we should just charge forward. Come on, let's find a campsite and get a fire together."

Yuni takes a deep breath and attempts to control his anger. "Alright…fine. Let's do that."

* * *

And so, in a relatively clear patch of the forest, they set up a camp. Everyone lying down around a campfire that burns brightly, everyone except Cosmo and Celestia. They remain the only ones awake. Celestia asks, "Father, is this really it? Is this game what I think it is?"

Cosmo nods. "I believe it is. All signs seem to indicate it is so. If not, it is a massive coincidence, one I am not willing to overlook."

"So if this really is that, then that must mean the Power of the Kings is…"

Cosmo nods. "Exactly. That is why it is so important that we do not allow Ottiuk to get his hands on it. If he acquires it, not only would he gain its immense power, but he would change history itself so that we cannot use it against him. He would become truly invincible."

Celestia stares into the fire. "So we must not allow him to win this game."

Cosmo nods. "And the key to that is saving Yugi. We must protect him…no matter what the cost is. If Yugi is destroyed again, we will have failed and the galaxy is doomed."

Celestia nods in understanding. She looks to Yuni, sleeping on the other side of the fire. "And what of Yuni, Father?"

Cosmo sighs. "We're going to have to be careful about him. In the end, he is a spirit of Light, and should be able to fight off the Darkness, but without Yugi he has less Light within him than he is used to. Add to that the grieving process he is going through now first of having Yugi separated from him, and then watching him be destroyed, he will be very volatile. I truly wish there was something we could do for him, but there isn't. I know better than anyone what he is going through right now. When the Darkness first possessed me and I became Oblivion, I felt like I was losing control of my own life, losing touch with who I was. The feeling of helplessness only makes it easier for the Darkness to take ahold. Yuni must feel the same."

"So is there any risk of…you know…"

"I don't Celestia. It all depends on if Yuni can remember his training as a Lord of Chaos or not." Celestia is about to say something else when Cosmo raises his hand to silence her. "Do you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

"Just listen." They are both silent, and a faint buzzing noise can be heard.

Celestia notices movement to her left. "Over there! In the trees!"

Cosmo notices movement on the opposite side of the clearing, "Now it's over there!"

This begins to wake everyone up. Yuni asks, "What's going on?"

Cosmo answers, "Not sure yet, but a monster seems to be stalking us. You can hear it."

Everyone listens to the buzzing. Kaiba realizes that the buzzing is all around them, not just coming from one area. He declares, "That's not just one monster, there's a whole swarm!" Almost immediately as he shouts this, the monsters come into the light of the fire from all angles. They're giant wasps with massive stingers, Killer Needles. They begin to fly at random into the clearing, attempting to attack with their giant stingers. Everyone leaps out of the way.

Yuni shouts, "We have to fight them off!" He pulls his capsule off his belt. "Load capsule! Fire! Come to me, Cyber Falcon!"

Brutus and Tori do the same, both declaring, "Load capsule!" at once. They release the Giant Orc and Guardian Statue. The monsters go into battle, attempting to fight off the never-ending barrage of Killer Needles.

Both Seto and Kaiba are looking around and locate their own capsule at the same time. They dive at the same time to tap them. Seto's turns into a large, multicolored ball with spikes, a Mega Thunderball. Kaiba's reveals a La Jinn the Mystical Genie of the Lamp.

Seto orders, "Thunderball, go!" The Mega Thunderball begins to rotate rapidly in place, and then it flings itself at some incoming Killer Needles.

Kaiba orders, "Attack La Jinn!" La Jinn attacks with shadowy energy, destroying several of the giant wasps.

Everyone's monsters continue to fight, but no matter how many Killer Needles are destroyed, more seem to fly in to replace them. Brutus cries out in despair, "It doesn't matter how many of them we destroy, they just keep on swarming us!"

Yuni reminds him, "There's nothing we can do but continue to fight. These monsters may be weak, but what they lack in power is made up in numbers. Their numbers cannot be infinite though."

So they continue to fight. Then, out of nowhere, one Killer Needle makes it past the defensive perimeter. It manages to have its stinger graze Tori's arm, cutting her clothes in the process. She cries out in pain and falls to the ground.

Yuni shouts, "Tori!" His Cyber Falcon immediately destroys the stray monster. "Are you okay Tori?"

Tori just holds her wound and cries out in pain.

Yuni looks around at the wasps angrily. He declares, "You won't hurt another of my friends!" He notices out of the corner of his eyes a capsule hidden in the hallow of a tree. He runs for it, leaping from side to side to avoid attacks from Killer Needles. He makes it and taps the capsule, releasing its monster. It's a hulking and bulky robot with purple and blue armor plating and laser cannons attached to its hands. Yuni shouts in anger, "Destroy them all Cyber Soldier of Darkworld!" The monster begins to release rapid fire laser shots from its cannons, destroying Killer Needles at a faster rate than ever.

Brutus cheers, "Yeah, way to go Yuni!" The incoming Killer Needles begin to slow down, some even turn around and flee. Brutus continues to cheer, "Yeah, you got rid of them!"

But Yuni doesn't stop. He orders, "Destroy every last one of them!" The Cyber Soldier of Darkworld continues its volley of lasers. Once all the Killer Needles in the clearing are destroyed, Yuni and his monster begin to chase after fleeing ones.

Brutus asks, "Yuni, what are you doing!? They're already running away, you don't have to destroy any more!"

Yuni looks behind, revealing that his eyes are once more glowing purple. He shouts with fury and Darkness, "I won't allow any of them to hurt anyone ever again! I may not have been able to save Yugi, but I'll save all of you!" He continues to push his monster to destroy the remaining wasps.

Tori looks up from the ground, hearing what is happening. She shouts "Yuni, I'm okay! You have to stop this! Please! Just stop, you're giving into your dark emotions again!"

Yuni shouts, "Maybe I need these dark emotions to be strong! I wasn't strong enough to save Yugi. His destruction is my fault! I was too weak! Never again will I let someone get hurt because I'm too weak!"

Tori struggles to get up. She walks slowly over towards Yuni. "Please Yuni, stop…you're scaring me…" She gets behind him and puts a hand on his shoulder. "Let it go. What happened to Yugi was not your fault. Don't forget, we're fighting Ottiuk, Darkness incarnate. If you give into the very thing we're fighting, then we've lost. I'm certain that Yugi would say the same."

The moment she says this, Yuni has a flashback of Yugi telling him exactly that. Yuni's eyes go wide. He then closes them and looks down with shame. He utters, "You're right…that is what he would say. Without him here, I had almost forgotten that…" He opens his eyes again, they are no longer glowing purple. "Cyber Soldier, ceasefire!" The monster obeys and returns to its capsule. So does everyone else's monsters.

Yuni turns around to face Tori, hugs her, and begins to cry. He sobs, "We've only been apart for less than a day now, but I'm already losing touch with him! I can't do this without him, he's always been there with me, through anything! I'm alone for the first time in a year, and there's nothing I can do about it!"

Tori soothes, "No Yuni, you're not alone. You have us. We're with you. We may not share a mind with you. We may not know your every thought and be able to guide you through everything that happens, but we are here for you. As long as you have us, you're never alone."

Brutus steps forward. "You've got me, don't forget, I'm your best bud."

Cosmo steps forward, "And I will always watch over you."

Celestia steps forward. "As will I."

Seto reluctantly steps forward and equally reluctantly admits, "I'm here for you too."

Kaiba, meanwhile having only just met Yuni, steps back awkwardly and remains silent.

Tori says, "You see Yuni, you're not alone. We can make it through this, together." Yuni looks up and around at everyone, and then smiles weakly.


	22. Episode 129: Legend of the King

Episode 129: Legend of the King

**The Land of Capsule Monsters, 5,000 Years Ago**

It's not yet morning. Yuni is leading the group through the dense forest. Brutus asks, "Do we even know what we're looking for?"

Yuni shakes his head. "Unfortunately, no. When…" Yuni hesitates, but then finishes, "when Yugi played Capsule Monsters, it was very much a reactionary game. Things just seemed to appear for him and his friends to deal with and, and that just propelled him forward. Since this is a game after all, think of it like a video game, where the player is always presented with events, rather than finding them themselves."

Seto laughs mockingly. "So we're literally just wandering through this forest at random, hoping that we'll find something. What a wonderful plan."

Tori asks, "How do we know what we're looking for?"

Yuni answers, "Don't worry, you'll know it when you see it."

Kaiba then points ahead and says, "So something like that?"

Everyone looks ahead to see some sort of ruins through the trees ahead of them. Yuni nods. "Exactly like that. Let's go." They all run for the ruins.

Upon closer examination, the ruins are a large complex, mostly still intact. The building that makes up the ruins is covered in jungle growth such as vines and trees. Seto asks, "Alright, so we got lucky and found these ruins. What, o glorious master of Capsule Monsters, do you suggest we do next?"

Yuni looks back to him. "Isn't it obvious? We go in."

Seto asks skeptically, "And do what exactly?"

Yuni shrugs. "I guess we'll find out." He turns and heads towards the entrance of the ruins. Everyone but Seto and Kaiba follow immediately. They look to each other, Seto with annoyance, Kaiba with understanding of how he feels. The two then turn and follow as well.

The inside of the building looks like it used to be some sort of grand temple. It is lit by sunlight pouring through various holes in the roof and walls. Forest growth is everywhere. Once everyone is inside, a door slams shut behind them, blocking their exit. Brutus exclaims with some fear, "Oh no, we're trapped!"

Yuni nods. "For the time being it would appear so, but that also infers that we are where we're supposed to be. Now come on, there's nowhere to go now but forward." Yuni leads them towards a large staircase, the only path not covered by vines and trees.

Once they've all made it up, they find themselves in a large chamber. Once again, tree trunks and vines are everywhere. After taking a moment to look around, Seto criticizes, "Great going, you've already led us into a dead end."

Before Yuni can defend himself, a horde of monsters come out from behind the trunks and vines. They're the brown, imp-like creatures wearing weak armor depicted on the artwork of the card Order to Smash. They now surround everyone and block off the stairs. Without saying anything, everyone pulls a capsule off their belt and prepares to fight. They launch the capsules.

"Go, Cyber Soldier of Dark World!"

"Let's do this Giant Orc!"

"Come on out Guardian Statue!"

"I call upon La Jinn!"

"Come forth, Mega Thunderball!"

The monsters all appear and instantly go in to battle. Cyber Soldier of Dark World uses its laser turrets to destroy several imps, Guardian Statue smashes its massive arms down on several more, Giant Orc swings its club around, almost at random, La Jinn sends orbs of energy at its targets, and Mega Thunderball plows its way through the opposing imps. With the combined strength of all the monsters, the imps are quickly disposed of.

Brutus cheers, "Yeah! That was no sweat!"

As soon as he says that, the entire room begins to shake. A stone slab slides across the stairway, locking them in the chamber. From a hole in the ceiling a giant monster with one eye falls. It's an Opticlops. It roars.

Seto looks to Brutus and asks, "You were saying?"

Yuni shouts, "Come on guys, we'll just beat this guy like we did all those imps. The bigger they are, the harder they fall! Attack, Cyber Soldier of Dark World!" Yuni's mechanical soldier unleashes a volley of laser shots against the giant, but they are harmlessly absorbed.

The others try to attack with their monsters. The Giant Orc's club just bounces off Opticlops' leg, as does Guardian Statue's arms. La Jinn's magic does nothing and the Mega Thunderball bounces back when trying to roll into it.

Tori shouts, "Nothing is working Yuni, this guy is too strong!"

The Opticlops roars in fury, and then swings arms down towards the monsters attacking it. They all get out of the way just in time. Opticlops then begins to smash its fist down to the ground, attempting to pound all that oppose it. After missing several times, it looks and notices that Celestia and Cosmo are both unaided by monsters. It reaches out and grabs Celestia.

Celestia shouts, "Help me!"

Both Seto and Kaiba shout at the same time, "Celestia!" They then both order their monsters to attack, but the monsters can still do nothing.

Opticlops holds Celestia in front of his face and smiles viciously. Celestia once more shouts, "Help!"

Then, from behind everyone, a voice declares, "Duck now!" Everyone looks towards the source of the voice. Standing on a platform above them is the Celtic Guardian. It holds Shooting Star Bow – Ceal, drawn and ready to shoot an arrow. Upon seeing him, Celestia ducks down. Celtic Guardian releases the bowstring and lets the arrow fly. It's sent right into Opticlops' single eye.

Opticlops roars in pain and holds its eye. It then shatters into pieces, having been destroyed. Celestia falls to the ground. Both Seto and Kaiba run to catch her, and do so.

Celtic Guardian puts away his bow and hops down from the platform to the ground. He looks around at all of them and says, "It's dangerous to go alone. What are you strangers doing here?"

Tori says, "Hey, we're in a group, you're the one that's alone."

"I meant alone without one of these." He draws his sword to show them, and then returns it to its sheath.

Yuni says, "Thanks for saving us, but what are you doing here?"

"I am on a quest to save the Princess from the evil Dark Ruler. To do so, however, requires something that lies hidden within this temple. Now, if you'll excuse me." He walks across the room to a treasure chest.

Brutus complains, "Hey, that chest wasn't there before."

Celtic Guardian opens the chest and holds up its contents triumphantly. It's the bomb depicted in the card Pineapple Blast. He puts it away.

Yuni whispers to everyone, "We should try to help him. I bet that's the objective here." Everyone nods in agreement.

Tori then shouts, "Hey, do you have any ideas on how to get out of here? We're kind of sealed in."

The Celtic Guardian nods. "Don't worry. I've made it out of much worse." He walks up to the wall behind the treasure chest and observes it closely. He notices that a portion of it is covered by cracks. He nods, pulls out a bomb and places it against the wall. He then steps back a few steps and the bomb goes off. When the smoke and dust clears, it is revealed that a hole has been blown through the wall into another room. "Since there is no other way out, you are welcome to accompany me on my quest until I find us a way out."

Yuni nods. "Thank you." They then follow Celtic Guardian through the hole in the wall.

The other side of the hole is in a narrow hallway. Celtic Guardian pulls out a map and observes it. He nods. "Yes, I know where we are now. Follow me this way, there's another chamber up ahead that I couldn't get through before. Let's see if anything has changed." He leads them through the corridor.

After a little walking, their way is blocked by a single imp. Without thinking too much about it, Celtic Guardian simply pulls out his sword, slashes and destroys the imp, then returns the sword to its sheath. They continue to walk and are brought to another room. The room appears to be completely empty.

A voice coming from somewhere near the Celtic Guardian says, "Hey, listen!" Then floating behind him a small fairy appears, a Key Mace. It says, "Look over there at the far wall. A section of it looks weaker than rest of the wall." It then disappears again.

Brutus asks, "Hey, what was that?"

Celtic Guardian answers, "My friend Key Mace. As my fairy partner it is my guide on my quest. It will often notice things or know things I do not. Very helpful. Most of the time." He walks up to the segment of wall indicated by Key Mace. "As it said, I can destroy this wall just like I did in the last chamber. That's why I couldn't progress when I came here before, I needed bombs." He sets a bomb down and steps back. The bomb explodes, creating another hole in the wall. They all walk through.

As soon as they enter the next room, they are assaulted by another horde of Imps. Celtic Guardian immediately leaps into action and destroys several. Yuni loads a capsule. "Go, Cyber Falcon! Destroy the imps!" Cyber Falcon appears and helps the Celtic Guardian destroy the remainder of the imps. After its work is complete, the Cyber Falcon returns to its capsule.

Celtic Guardian thanks, "Thank you for the assistance. Those imps are servants of the Dark Ruler. They attack in hordes to try to stop me."

Kaiba, who has meanwhile looked around the room, points out, "This room is another dead end. Any ideas how we get out of this one?"

Celtic Guardian looks around. The room is a large, rectangular one. In the center of the room are four large, stone boxes. He asks, "Key Mace, do you have ideas?"

Key Mace reappears and scans the room. "Those boxes appear awfully suspicious, try doing something with them." It then disappears again.

Celtic Guardian sighs. "Sometimes Key Mace can only give vague hints. But I think it's right about the boxes."

Brutus says sarcastically, "Well isn't that a great hint. It has something to do with the boxes. What to do with the boxes?"

Tori is looking around the room carefully. She then declares, "Wait, I think I know!" She points to each corner of the room. "Look at the corners, the floor is marked with a square at each one. I bet if we push the boxes onto the markings something will happen."

Celtic Guardian nods. "Yes, that sounds like a good idea. Let's each push a box and attempt to get each one to its place at the same time." He walks over to a box. Brutus, Yuni, and Tori take the other three boxes. They all push them to their respective corners. Right before they're pushed right into the corners, Celtic Guardian counts down, "Three…two…one…now!" They all push their boxes the last bit of the way. The moment each box is in its indicated spot, a clicking noise can be heard, and a wall slide to the side revealing a hidden door. Celtic Guardian nods in approval. "Good job, that did it." He pulls out his map. "Now, if I am correct, the treasure that I seek should lie just beyond this next chamber."

Brutus says excitedly, "Then what are we waiting for? Let's go!"

So they all step into the next chamber. It is a vast empty chamber with a high roof. As soon as everyone has entered the room, the door shuts itself behind them. Tori groans, "Not again…"

Celtic Guardian is observing the room carefully. "Be on guard, there is more to this room than meets the eye." Right after he says that, a vicious roar can be heard.

Yuni asks, "Like that?"

Celtic Guardian nods. "Exactly like that." Then, from out of the shadows up above a large dragon flies down and roars again. It's the Berserk Dragon. Celtic Guardian explains, "That's the Berserk Dragon, another servant of the Dark Ruler. We must slay it if we are to move forward."

Brutus comments, "If the Dark Ruler has servants this powerful, I'd hate to meet up with him in a fight."

Everyone loads their capsules in preparation for a fight and sends out their monsters. Yuni choses Cyber Falcon this time. Celtic Guardian leads the charge, slashing at the dragon's leg. The attack seems to do nothing. Similarly, the attacks of everyone's monsters do little to harm it as well.

The dragon roars. Into the sky it then spits a series of molten fireballs. These fireballs arc and then fall, aimed at each monster and person in the room. Everyone manages to dodge, but only just barely.

Celtic Guardian realizes, "Its armor is too strong. There's no way that we can damage it with attacks from the outside. We have to find a weak spot, a chink in the armor."

Tori leaps out of the way of another fireball and says, "I don't think there is one!"

Brutus, also avoiding an attack, adds, "Unless you count its mouth."

Yuni seems to have an idea. "Wait a second, that's it Brutus! We need to attack through its mouth!"

Seto asks, "And how do you plan on doing that? Its mouth is way up there, and we're way down here."

Yuni looks to the Celtic Guardian and asks, "Do you have any bombs left?"

Celtic Guardian nods. "Plenty."

"Then throw one to my Cyber Falcon." Celtic Guardian nods in understanding. He pulls out a bomb and lights it. He then tosses it up in the air to have it caught by Cyber Falcon. Yuni orders, "Alright Cyber Falcon, quickly drop that bomb in its mouth!" The Cyber Falcon flies up over the dragon and waits for it to open its mouth to attack. Once it does, the mechanical falcon drops the bomb right down its mouth. A few second later, the bomb explodes, destroying the dragon.

Yuni cheers, "Yeah, it worked!"

Celtic Guardian compliments, "Good thinking indeed." Then another clicking noise is heard and a hidden door on the opposite side of the room opens up, leading outside. "Now come on, the treasure I seek is just out there." He leads them outside.

They step into a grove of some kind. A wall of trees surrounds them and heavenly light shines down into the grove from the sky. In the center of the grove is pedestal, and pushed into it is a sword, the Divine Sword – Phoenix Blade. It seems to glow a faint golden light.

Yuni asks, "What is it?"

Celtic Guardian walks up to and places his hands around the sword's hilt. "This is the legendary Divine Sword, blade of evil's bane. With its power I shall slay the Dark Ruler. He lifts the sword up and out of its resting place and then holds it up to the sky. He then declares, "Now, I move onward to the Dark Ruler's Palace of Shadows to stop the Dark Ruler and save the Princess!"

Yuni says, "We would like to continue to aid you in your quest. May we accompany you?"

Celtic Guardian nods. "After the help you have given me here, it would be my honor. Come, I shall lead you to the Palace of Shadows."

* * *

And so he does. The Celtic Guardian and everyone else now stand at the foot of a large, black castle. Dark storm clouds cover the sky, and Skull Red Birds circle the upper spires. Brutus makes a comment with some fear in his voice, "Kind of spooky, isn't it?"

Tori criticizes, "Of course it's spooky. It's called the Palace of Shadows, and the Dark Ruler lives there. What else could it be besides spooky?"

Brutus shrugs. "I don't know. Why couldn't he have gone to the Palace of Sunshine, owned by the King of Kindness? I think I'd like that place better."

Celtic Guardian declares, "Because the princess would not be at such a place."

Brutus nods. "Of course not. I don't suppose the princess is in a different castle. I actually want the princess to be in a different castle this time."

Tori laughs and says, "Wrong game Brutus."

Celtic Guardian ignores them and declares, "Now come on, let us move forth." As he says this, the massive doors to the castle creek open.

Kaiba asks, "I don't suppose this Dark Ruler is expecting you, is he?"

Celtic Guardian nods. "He certainly is." He then walks in.

Brutus asks, "Wait, a guy called the Dark Ruler knows we're coming, and we're still going in. What if it's a trap?"

Yuni begins to follow Celtic Guardian. "Yes, we're still going in. This is the only shot we have at saving Yugi. Now come on." He enters the castle. Seto and Kaiba follow him, followed by Cosmo and Celestia. Tori gives Brutus a look, and then goes in herself. Brutus takes one more look up at the castle, sighs, and follows them in as well.

In a montage, the group is shown traveling through the castle. They fight imps and other creatures such as Dark Bats and Skull Servants at every turn. They go from room to room, solving many puzzles along the way. They continue to move upwards, climbing stairs and ladders leading them towards the top of the tallest spire.

They arrive in a large, dark chamber. The door they came into slides shut, blocking out what little light they had. It's pitch-black. Brutus shouts in fear. Tori asks, "What's wrong Brutus, I thought you got over your fear of the dark."

Brutus laughs awkwardly and comes up with the excuse, "Um…old habits?"

Celtic Guardian pulls out a lantern, returning some light to the room. He notices that in each corner of the room there is an unlit lamp. He walks to each corner and uses the fire from his lantern to light them. With all four lit, the room lights up fully. Celtic Guardian puts away the lantern. "There, that's not that bad anymore."

Brutus points upwards and says, "Except for the fact that I can see those things now!" Everyone looks up and sees a massive horde of Winged Minions flying about right below the roof. One of them shrieks and dives down towards Brutus. Brutus screams again.

Celtic Guardian thinks quickly and pulls out his bow and an arrow. He shoots the monster and destroys it. Once that happens the entire horde goes berserk and starts shrieking and diving. Celtic Guardian begins to unleash a volley of arrows at each one that comes into his sight, but more keep on diving down.

Everyone else is trying to load their capsules to fight back, but the onslaught of Winged Minions is too much. They have to focus on dodging.

Celtic Guardian fires another arrow. He's about to reload, when he suddenly freezes up He shouts, "I'm out of arrows! I just fired my last one!"

Brutus, in an attempt to get away from a Winged Minion, backs up against a wall. He accidently knocks over a ceramic pot standing behind him. The pot shatters. Brutus quickly looks down and realizes that a small bundle of arrows is sitting on shards of broken ceramic. He quickly picks it up and shouts, "Heads up Celtic Guardian!"

Celtic Guardian looks over as Brutus throws him the bundle of arrows. Celtic Guardian grabs them and loads up his bow. With the last arrow he destroys the last Winged Minion in sight. He breathes a sigh of relief and looks to Brutus. "Good find my friend. You saved us there."

Brutus grins. "Thanks." He then eagerly asks, "So how much longer until we get to-" He is cut off when he accidently knocks over yet another pot.

Tori shouts at him, "Stop breaking stuff Brutus!"

Brutus says defensively, "Hey, this stuff belongs to the bad guy. I think it's okay to break. As a matter of fact…" He turns to yet another pot, picks it up, and smashes it to the ground. Proud of himself, he declares, "There."

Something in the ruble of the broken pot moves. Out of the wreckage, a Fairy's Gift appears. Celtic Guardian looks to it and declares, "That could be helpful later, catch it!" He pulls out something and tosses it to Brutus. "Here, use this."

Brutus catches it. It's an empty bottle. Brutus looks at it and then to Celtic Guardian with confusion. "It's an empty bottle…what am I supposed to do?"

"Use it to catch the fairy!" As an afterthought he adds, "And don't you ever doubt the power of an empty bottle. They can be some of the most useful things you'll ever find."

Brutus just shrugs and uncaps the bottle. He lunges at the fairy and catches it. He walks over to Celtic Guardian and hands him the fairy in a bottle. "Here you go."

Celtic Guardian takes the bottle and pockets it. The voice of Key Mace declares, "Hey, listen!" It then appears. "I sense the Dark Ruler's presence on the next floor. Good luck." It disappears again.

Celtic Guardian looks around and asks, "Is everyone ready? This is it." Everyone nods. Celtic Guardian nods back. He leads them to a staircase and they all go up.

Once in the next floor, they find themselves on the roof of the tallest spire. Tori asks, "So where is he? I don't see any Dark Ruler."

As soon as she finishes saying this, a cloud of shadows appears in front of them. A fiendish creature begins to materialize. It's the Dark Ruler Ha Des. He laughs. "Here at last I see, Hero."

Celtic Guardian steps forward and demands, "Where's the princess Ha Des!?"

Ha Des grins and points behind him. "See for yourself." Everyone looks to where he points. On the opposite side of the room, inside a hanging cage is a Mystical Elf. It calls out, "Help me Celtic Guardian!"

Celtic Guardian shouts back, "Don't worry, I will once I defeat Ha Des!"

Ha Des laughs. "Even with the Divine Sword in your hands there is no hope for you. I will destroy you."

Celtic Guardian draws his Divine Sword. "We'll see about that." He charges at Ha Des.

Ha Des summons a cloud of shadows around his hands. These shadows create two weapons. In one hand appears the Sword of Dark Destruction, and in the other the Sword of Dark Rites. Using his two swords, Ha Des parries Celtic Guardian's attack. The two become locked in a duel of blades.

Yuni whispers, "Quickly, let's get the princess out of the cage while he's distracted." They start to sneak towards the cage.

Still keeping his focus on the Celtic Guardian, Ha Des declares, "No you don't!" Then out of clouds of shadows, a horde of imps and Winged Minions appear. They move in to attack.

Tori looks to the side and notices a capsule on the ground. She suggests, "How about some more backup?" She runs to the capsule and touches it. A Millennium Golem appears out of it.

Brutus agrees, "Good idea," as he too spots a capsule. He leaps at it and touches it, revealing an entire Goblin Attack Force. Brutus cheers, "Oh yeah, now we've got an army on our side too!"

Everyone else loads what capsules they have and fires them. Cyber Soldier of Dark World, La Jinn, and Mega Thunderball join the fray. The monsters all begin to fight off the imps and Winged Minions. Tori's large Millennium Golem is able to smash multiple monsters at once, while Brutus' Goblin Attack Force goes into battle against an equally large imp attack force.

Meanwhile, Celtic Guardian and Ha Des continue their fight. Every slash that Celtic Guardian makes against Ha Des is easily deflected, countered, and parried. Ha Des taunts, "You have great courage to face me, put my power is so great that not even the wisdom of the princess could save you now Hero."

Celtic Guardian shakes his head and declares, "By the Goddess, I will defeat you!"

A devilish look crosses Ha Des' face as he seems to get an idea. "Maybe you can defeat me…but can your friends?"

This catches Celtic Guardian off guard. "What?"

Ha Des then takes one of his swords and hurls it towards Tori who is looking away, facing some Winged Minions. No one else is looking either. Celtic Guardian looks with horror. He then runs at Tori and raises his blade. He slashes it down, knocking Ha Des' sword to the ground, saving Tori. However, in that moment he's looking away, Ha Des slashes with his remaining sword at Celtic Guardian's back. Celtic Guardian shouts out in pain and falls to the ground.

Ha Des laughs. "Too much of a hero." He picks up his sword from the ground and prepares to finish Celtic Guardian off.

Yuni sees what has happened and runs towards Ha Des. He shouts, "No, I won't let anyone else fall! No one!" Along the way he passes by a capsule. He taps while still running, releasing a Cyber-Tech Alligator. The new monster instantly launches into action and slashes at Ha Des with its cybernetically augmented claws. Ha Des is forced to abort his attack to protect himself.

Ha Des laughs. "You can't possible hope to defeat me where the Hero failed."

Yuni looks back at him and declares, "I sure can try!" Yuni begins to glow in a golden light. Around his torso manifests the shoulder and chest sections of golden armor. Yuni grins and declares, "Activate Duel Armor! Merge with the Cyber-Tech Alligator!" Yuni's armor glows and his monster is absorbed into him. With a flash of light, Yuni is now wearing the cybernetic armor of his monster, claws, wings, and all. He flies up into the air and then dives down to slash his claws at Ha Des. Ha Des counters, but only just barely. Yuni then flies back up and unleashes a large laser beam from the center of his armor's chest plate. Ha Des uses his two swords to block the beam, but he has to struggle, and he is forced backwards by it.

Ha Des attempts to slash one of his blades at Yuni, but Yuni just catches it, and then rips the blade from Ha Des' hand, tossing it to the side. Ha Des tries the same with his other blade, but with the same result. Yuni declares, "Give up now. You are without weapons."

Ha Des shakes his head in defiance. "You may have disarmed me, but I have all the power of the Goddess of my side. You cannot harm me."

Yuni grins. "Maybe I can't, but he can."

"What?" Ha Des turns around just in time to see a fully healed Celtic Guardian leap at him and drive the Divine Sword into his chest. He shouts, "This isn't the last you have seen of me, Hero!" as he is sucked into the sword itself.

All of the enemy monsters disappear as well. Everyone runs over to Yuni and the Celtic Guardian. Tori asks, "Celtic Guardian, I thought you were a goner for sure. How'd you survive that slash to the back?"

Celtic Guardian grins and pulls out an empty bottle. "As I said before, never underestimate the power of an empty bottle. That fairy we caught sensed I was in danger and escaped so it could heal me." He looks to Yuni. "And thank you Yuni. Without your distraction, I never could have sealed him away."

Yuni nods. "You're welcome. Now, let's free your princess." He turns to the cage and warns her, "Stand back." The Mystical Elf steps to the back of the cage. "Yuni then fires his laser and destroys the cage. The Mystical Elf floats gently to the ground.

She runs over to Celtic Guardian and hugs him. She then steps back and looks over the group. She says, "Thank you everyone, you are truly the heroes of Capsule Monsters."

Celtic Guardian asks, "Is there anything we could do to repay you?"

Yuni removes his Duel Armor and returns Cyber-Tech Alligator to its capsule. He then says, "We could use some information. We are looking for a boy who looks a like me, only younger."

Mystical Elf nods her head. "I know of the boy of who you speak. Not too long ago, he helped the M-Warrior rescue my friend, Princess Pikeru from the Giant Turtle Who Feeds on Flames. I can tell you exactly where he went."


	23. Episode 130: Power of the King Part 1

Episode 130: Power of the King Part 1

**The Land of Capsule Monsters, 5,000 Years Ago**

Yuni is running through the forested land, pushing aside any shrubbery that's in his way. Brutus and Tori are trying to keep up with him. Behind them is Seto, Kaiba, Cosmo, and Celestia. Tori shouts, "Come on Yuni, you've got to slow down, just a little."

Yuni shakes his head. "No way, Yugi's just up ahead!" When he says this, he sounds excited to be reunited with Yugi, but also anxious to make sure he can save him.

Cosmo catches up with Yuni and grabs him by the arm to stop him. He looks Yuni in the eye and says, "You must slow down."

"Why? You saw what happens to Yugi if we don't help him. We need to get to him as soon as possible."

Cosmo nods. "Maybe that is true, but we should not overexert ourselves either. Trust me when I say this, I would give my own life to protect Yugi's, but we cannot proceed like this. We need to slow down and make sure that we're doing the right thing. Look at your friends." He points to Brutus and Tori, both of whom are panting. "We have a fight with Ottiuk coming up, we must not tire ourselves."

Yuni nods. "Alright, fine. We walk." And so they do. While they're walking, Yuni asks Cosmo, "Did you really mean what you said back there? Would you really give your life to safe Yugi's?"

Cosmo nods. "Indeed I would. Not only is he absolutely necessary, far more necessary than I am to save the galaxy, but any loyal Yugohan would gladly give their lives to protect their prince."

Yuni nods in understanding. "And as the High Advisor to the Yugohan Emperor, I guess that goes extra for you." Cosmo nods. After a moment of thought, Yuni asks, "How did you even become the High Advisor in the first place?"

Cosmo smiles at the memories. "As a child I grew up hearing the great Chronicles of Yugoha, the stories of our history. They inspired me. I wanted to one day be worthy of being among my heroes in the Chronicles. As soon as I was old enough I joined the priesthood, and trained to become a priest of Yugoha. I was the top of my class, and before I knew it I had attracted the attention of the Yugohan Emperor, Yu-Gi-Oh's father. He hand selected me to be his High Advisor. It was the proudest day of my life." He looks back to Celestia and sighs. "My daughter was to follow in my footsteps. She was to succeed me as High Advisor, but then the empire fell."

Yuni sighs. "I guess that's kind of my fault, isn't it?"

Cosmo shakes his head. "No, not at all. Yugoha fell because it was faced with a paradox. Both Seto and Yu-Gi-Oh did what they thought, no, what they knew was right. And yet one right decision would make the other one impossible. You are not to blame in the slightest." Cosmo suddenly stops. "Do you hear that?"

Yuni stops to listen. He hears a familiar voice. "That's Yugi!" He runs off through the bushes ahead of them, everyone follows.

He walks into a clearing. Standing in its center is Yugi, along with his friends, Joey Wheeler, Tristan Taylor, and Téa Gardner.

Yuni exclaims, "Yugi, I'm so glad to see you again!"

Yugi looks up to him with shock. "Pharaoh?" He takes a closer looks at Yuni. "You're not Atem…who are you?"

Yuni surprised. "Don't you recognize me Yugi?"

Joey whispers to Yugi, "This guy's probably just another one of those weird tests this game throws at you. I say we get rid of him now."

Yugi doesn't listen. "I don't recognize you at all."

Yuni is hurt. Tori reminds Yuni, "Remember, he won't remember anything from beyond this time until you beat him in a duel."

Yuni nods. "Of course…" He looks to Yugi. "I'm sorry, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Yuni Oha, you may not know me, but I know you…very well."

Tristan complains, "Oh great, he's just a fan who's made himself look like you. These guys get crazier and crazier all the time."

Téa shakes her head. "Tristan, what would one of those fans be doing here in Capsule Monsters?"

Tristan shrugs. "I don't know, maybe he's just that devoted."

Yuni then says, "I promise I'm more than just a fan. Look. I know why you're here. An evil force has entered the game and is trying to take the Power of the King for itself, and you're here to stop that force. Well, we're here for the same reason."

Yugi nods skeptically. But then Kaiba steps out into view. Yugi gaps. "Kaiba, what are you doing here?"

Joey complains, "Oh great, now rich boy's here too. I thought I hated this place before."

Kaiba says, "Look Yugi, I know it's hard to believe, but this guy is here to help you. I am too."

Yugi shakes his head in disbelief. "Alright then…I trust Kaiba, so I guess I trust you Yuni."

At this point, Seto, Cosmo, and Celestia also emerge into the clearing. Joey looks with shock at Seto. "And now there are two rich boys, too?"

Brutus laughs. "That's exactly what I thought."

Yuni asks, "So what do you know about the entity trying to take the Power of the King?"

Yugi shrugs. "Not much. I was called here by Shadi. He told me that a new challenger had appeared to claim the Power of the King, and as a previous victor of this game, I had the right to challenge him to stop his claim. After going through this game's quest, we were led here. I don't know why, but this is where we're supposed to be."

A voice suddenly declares, "You are here because it is the location of our final game!"

Everyone looks up to the sky to see who said that. It's Otto in his cloak, hovering above them. Yuni shouts, "Yugi, get down!" He dives to the side and pushes Yugi out of the way of an expected attack, but no such attack comes. Yuni looks up to Otto and shouts, "Ottiuk, I won't let you harm Yugi!"

Tristan asks, "Wait, you know this guy?"

Otto laughs. "Silly Yuni, I am not here to destroy Yugi. If I were to do that, I wouldn't be able to obtain the Power of the King. No, I have come here to challenge your dear friend Yugi to a very special game."

Téa asks Yuni, "Why did he call Yugi your 'dear friend?'"

Yuni says, "Don't worry about that now." He then looks to Otto and demands, "What is this game you speak of?"

"I mean a game that will decide the fate of this world." He then commands, "Gamemaster, appear!"

In between Yuni and Yugi's group and Otto, a figure appears. It is Shadi, but without his Millennium Key. He declares, "I am Shadi, the Gamemaster. Has a challenge been issued?"

Otto nods. "Yes, I challenge Yugi Moto for the right to possess the Power of the King."

Shadi nods. "Both parties have completed their assigned tests. The game may begin. This will be a game of skill, strategy, ability, and leadership. It will truly test who is worthy of possessing the Power of the King. Each side will choose one King, to be in charge of strategy, and five players, to be in charge of fighting. Chose now!"

Yugi automatically says, "Alright then, I'll serve as the King."

Yuni shakes his head. "No Yugi, you can't. It's too dangerous, let me. In fact, you shouldn't participate in this game at all. It's much too risky."

Yugi looks at him with puzzlement. "I think I can handle myself. Thank you very much."

Cosmo taps Yuni on the shoulder and pulls him aside. He says to Yuni, "Look, I know you want to protect Yugi. And you're probably right in assuming that it was this game that we saw the end of Yugi before, but that doesn't mean you should overprotect him. Yugi is the original King of Games, and one of the greatest game-players to ever live. Let him take the lead, it's the best course of action."

Yuni sighs in acknowledgment. "Right…" He returns to everyone else and admits, "Alright Yugi, you're the original King of Games, you take the lead."

Tristan looks at Yuni and asks, "What do you mean 'original King of Games?' He's the only King of Games."

Yuni nods. "Of course."

Yugi then continues, "Alright, now that that's settled, I want Joey, Tristan, and Téa out there for sure." He looks to Kaiba. "Kaiba, you feel like playing a little game?"

Kaiba gives a slight cocky grin. "I'm always up for a game."

Yugi nods. "Alright, I need one more plyer."

Yuni steps forward. "Let it be me."

Yugi looks him over. "Can I trust you to listen to me? It's very important that the entire team be in sync."

Yuni nods. "You may not know this yet, but you can trust more than anyone else, save maybe Atem."

Yugi nods. "Alright then." He turns to Shadi and declares, "We are ready."

Joey shouts at Otto, "Hey cloak-dude, what are you going to do without any teammates!?"

Brutus steps up next to Joey and shouts, "I guess you're just going to have to give up!" Joey and Brutus high-five.

Otto shakes his head. "Oh no, I have a team already assembled." Five figures appear on the ground below him. "I'd like to introduce you all to Julius Caesar, Genghis Kahn, Charlemagne, and Napoleon. I believe you've already met Alexander the Great."

Tori says with surprise, "Those are five of history's greatest kings! How are they all here!?"

Otto explains, "Each one of these kings found their way to this game, and each of them failed to acquire the Power of the King. Each of them left in imprint in this game, their dark-half so to speak, was sealed away. They are now my allies."

Téa warns, "Guys, I have a bad feeling about this."

Tristan says, "Don't worry Téa, we can take a bunch of dead guys."

Joey points out, "There's one flaw with your logic, Tristan. They're not dead."

Shadi declares, "Let the game begin!" There is a flash of light. When it subsides, Yugi and Otto have been transported to some sort of chamber. They sit on either side of a large table. On the table is a map with a grid, identical to the one in the map room. Game pieces of some kind are scattered across the table. Upon closer inspection, each one has the face of a player. Shadi floats above the table and explains, "The rules are simple. Each King will provide guidance to their players. Giving them advice and telling them where to move. A player can be teleported by order of the King to another square. From up here, the King may command, but not fight. Your players will hear any command you make of them."

Yugi nods. He thinks, _Alright, I can do this._

* * *

Yuni has been transported to a desert region. He looks around, but sees nothing but sand as far as the eye can see.

Tristan is in canyon lands. He shouts, "Hello!" An echo replies.

Téa is back in the woods. A thick wall of trees surrounds her.

Kaiba is in some sort of abandoned village. He looks around and something catches his eye. He grins.

Joey is in the middle of a vast plain. He suddenly jumps when someone behind him declares, "Load capsule, fire! Come forth, The Agent of Creation – Venus!"

Joey looks behind to see that Julius Caesar is there and has summoned a monster. Joey nods. "Alright, I'm about to fight Caesar! Let's do this. Load Capsule! Come on out Gilfried the Swordmaster!"

Yuni continues to walk through the desert. He happens to notice a capsule half-buried by the sand. He shrugs. "Might as well. I can use all the help I can get." He runs over to it and touches it. In a shimmer of light, a Metal Dragon appears.

From behind him, someone shouts, "Destroy him, Freed the Matchless General!"

Yuni's dragon moves just in time to intercept a sword slash from Freed. Yuni looks behind him to see Yami Alexander. Yuni commands, "Metal Dragon, counterattack!" The Metal Dragon attacks with a silvery burst of light from its mouth.

Tristan is walking along the edge of a canyon. He looks down. "Sure is a long way down. Don't want to fall, that's for sure."

A voice with a heavy French accent declares, "Destroy him St. Joan!" a sword slashes at Tristan from the side.

Tristan dodges, but nearly falls off the cliff in the process. He regains his balance and sees that Napoleon has ordered the attack. Tristan shouts, "Hey Frenchie, I don't know what you think you're doing, but slashing at people with swords while they're on a cliff's edge is not nice." He stops and thinks for a moment. "In fact, it's not nice to slash at people with swords regardless of where they're standing!" He loads a capsule. "Let's teach him some manners, Kaminari Attack!"

Yugi and Otto sit and watch as the game progresses. It can be seen where game pieces are clashing. Otto gives an observation, "It would appear that all but two of each of our respective forces have entered battle. I wonder if your weakest piece can handle a two-pronged assault."

Yugi demands, "What are you talking about?"

Otto beckons to the board. "Just watch."

Téa is walking through the forest. She appears unsure of what to do. Suddenly, out of the darkness ahead of her, Charlemagne and his Kuraz the Light Monarch appear. She instantly turns and runs the other way, but is stopped by Genghis Khan and his Garma Sword. She screams.

Yugi hears this scream and exclaims, "Téa!" He looks to the board and sees that Téa's piece is surrounded by two others. He commands, "Kaiba, I need you to move to grid C6, Téa needs your help." Kaiba's piece doesn't move from its spot.

Otto laughs. "How amusing, the great King of Games can't even keep his own forces straight."

Yugi isn't sure what to do. He eventually makes the call, "Joey, I need you to help Téa, get to grid C6."

Joey is in the midst of battle with Caesar. Caesar's Agent of Creation – Venus has summoned a massive horde of Mystic Shine Balls, which send themselves hurtling towards Joey one after the other. Gilfried rapidly slashes its sword at each one before they can hit, but it's begin kept busy. Joey asks, "Are you sure you want me to do that Yugi? I'm pretty busy here."

Yugi's voice responds, "Yes, Téa's outnumbered and needs help."

Joey nods. "Alright, send me there." Joey and his monster are instantly teleported to Téa's location. Joey immediately spots Téa trapped between the two encroaching monsters. He runs over to help her.

Back at the game board, Otto laughs again. "You can move your pieces, but so can I. You haven't changed anything. Caesar to C6."

Joey and Téa are back-to-back. Joey says, "Two-on-two, we can take them."

Téa points off to the side and asks with panic, "Alright, but what about two-on-three?" Out of the trees, Caesar and his monster emerge.

Joey groans. "Any suggestions Yugi?"

Yugi's voice responds, "You've just got to do what you can. I'm trying to find out what happened to Kaiba right now so we can even up the odds."

Joey nods. He looks to Téa and says, "You heard the boss, send out your monster and let's give these goons a fight."

Téa nods. "Right." She loads her capsule. "Come out, Wingweaver!" Her fairy appears in front of her.

Meanwhile, Tristan and his Kaminari Attack continue to battle with Napoleon and his St. Joan. Tristan's monster launches thunderbolt after thunderbolt at St. Joan, but she expertly uses her sword to deflect each bolt.

Napoleon laughs and declares in his heavy French accent, "I am one of the greatest military commanders to ever live. You cannot possibly hope to defeat me!"

Tristan counters, "Oh yeah, will there's no way I'm losing to a shorty like you!"

Napoleon demands in rage, "What did you just call me!? For that insolence I shall destroy you all the quicker!" St. Joan rushes towards Tristan's monster and slashes down at it.

Tristan orders, "Out of the way Kaminari Attack!" but it's too late, the monster is destroyed. Tristan cries out in pain, as he feels the destruction of his monster. He then declares, "Alright, let's see you take on this monster! Go, Thunder Dragon!" Tristan summons his thunderous serpent. He then thinks, _This battle isn't going so well, I could use some help here Yugi._

Yugi seems to have heard this plea for help. He desperately looks over the board, trying to find a solution. He asks, "Yuni, how is your fight going? Can you move to help Tristan?"

Yuni is locked in combat with Yami Alexander. Both are wearing Duel Armor, Yuni his Cyber-Tech Alligator, Alexander has merged with Zera the Mant. The two are stuck in hand-to-hand combat. Yuni grunts, "Not really. I managed to defeat his first monster, but then he brought out his Duel Armor. Excuse me for a moment." Yuni leaps backwards just as his Metal Dragon flies in over where he stood, strafing the ground below him with shots of silver light. The dust settles and reveals that Alexander has taken no damage. Yuni then says, "Yeah, I'm going to be stuck here for a while."

Joey and Téa are stuck back-to-back. Joey has summoned the Red-Eyes Black Dragon, but is having some trouble coordinating the attacks of two monsters. Just as before, Gilfried is fending off the horde of Mystic Shine Balls. Red-Eyes is doing battle with Kuraz the Light Monarch. Kuraz is launching orbs of pure light at Red-Eyes, and Red-Eyes is intercepting them with Inferno Fire Blasts. Téa and her Wingweaver are fighting with Genghis Khan and his Garma Sword. Both Téa and Joey seem incredibly worried. Joey shouts, "Yugi, we could use some help here!"

Tristan and his Thunder Dragon are not faring well either. St. Joan has pushed them up against a cliff. Their backs are literally against the wall. Tristan shouts, "I could use some help too!"

Yugi looks at the board with despair. He thinks, _What can I possibly do? I simply don't have enough people. I'd trust my friends to do anything…but that doesn't mean they actually can…_

Otto sees the look on Yugi's face and taunts, "What's wrong Yugi? Did the King of Games, undisputed master of all contests, finally find a game he can't win?"

Yugi stands up and declares, "I have faith in my friends! They can win this!" He adds in his mind, _I hope… _He looks back down to the game board.


	24. Episode 131: Power of the King Part 2

Episode 131: Power of the King Part 2

**The Land of Capsule Monsters, 5,000 Years Ago**

Yugi looks to the Capsule Monsters game board with despair. He thinks, _What can I possibly do? I simply don't have enough people. I'd trust my friends to do anything…but that doesn't mean they actually can…_

Otto sees the look on Yugi's face and taunts, "What's wrong Yugi? Did the King of Games, undisputed master of all contests, finally find a game he can't win?"

Yugi stands up and declares, "I have faith in my friends! They can win this!" He adds in his mind, _I hope… _He looks back down to the game board.

Despite Yugi's belief, Tristan does not seem to look like he can win. His Thunder Dragon lies on the floor in front of him, and St. Joan is just about to thrust her sword into it to deal the final blow. Napoleon asks, "Any final words before I destroy you?"

Tristan, obviously stalling for time, says, "Yeah actually, I've got a lot of them. I've got words abound to say. So many words that I can't even say them all. I guess I might as well start saying them now, but there are just so many. Don't get me wrong, I definitely want to say my final words, but it's just such a daunting task. Alright, here I go. I'm going to say my-"

He is cut off by Napoleon shouting, "Just shut up!"

Another voice behind Napoleon says calmly and collected, "Funny, I was about to say the exact same thing."

Napoleon turns around to see Kaiba standing behind him. Napoleon orders, "St. Joan, get him!"

Kaiba asks, "By the way, have you met my friend over there?" He grins and points behind him. From the canyon, the Blue-Eyes White Dragon flies up. It roars.

Napoleon and St. Joan freeze,

Kaiba grins. "I thought so. Blue-Eyes, attack with White Lightning!" Blue-Eyes unleashes its attack and completely destroys St. Joan. It then aims its attack for Napoleon, removing him from the game.

Tristan breathes a sigh of relief. "Wow, I never thought I'd be so glad to see you."

Kaiba then says, "Sorry Yugi, I had a friend I had to meet up with."

Back at the game board, Yugi nods with understanding. "Of course, the space Kaiba was in was the village that worshipped the Blue-Eyes White Dragon." He looks to Otto and declares, "It looks like this game just took a turn in my favor." He looks down to the grid. "Tristan, I want you to stay where you are and rest until you're ready to fight again. Everyone else, I've got an idea." He pauses, then declares, "Everyone, move to grid F5"

* * *

While the battle rages on, Brutus, Tori, Seto, Cosmo, and Celestia remain where they were before. Apparently they've been listening in on this battle the entire time, as Cosmo exclaims, "No, not F5!"

Tori asks, "Why, what's wrong with F5?"

"F5 is where we found Yugi before, the first time." Everyone realizes what this means. Cosmo breaks out running. "We're in grid E5. We've got to get there, now!" Everyone else runs after him.

* * *

In a jungle ruins setting similar to the one where Yugi was first seen, the four remaining kings have grouped together. Their monsters follow them. Genghis Khan calls out, "Come out into the open so that I may destroy you!"

At the game board, Otto shakes his head with disapproval. "I expected better from you Yugi. Hiding all your pieces away. Do you think this will keep them safe? It won't. My pieces will hunt them down and destroy them all."

Yugi grins. "You don't realize how backwards you've got it." He then commands, "Now guys!"

Back in the forest, the kings are all standing in a clearing. The trees around them rustle, and then Yuni, Kaiba, Joey, and Téa all leap from the tree tops. Joey shouts, "We've got you all surrounded, so you'd best surrender."

Caesar laughs. "Julius Caesar surrenders to none."

Yuni says, "Too bad for you." Then a collective roar of four monsters can be heard. Out from the sky, the Blue-Eyes White Dragon, Red-Eyes Black Dragon, Seiyaryu, and Metal Dragon dive down and begin to bombard them with attacks. The kings try to counterattack, but the surprise attack has them at too much of a disadvantage.

To add to it, Tristan comes flying in on the back of his Thunder Dragon. Thunder Dragon adds to the barrage. Tristan shouts, "Thought you guys could use my help!"

Joey cheers, "Yeah, bring on the dragons!"

Yugi grins. "It looks the team work of my friends has bested the strength of your servants." The game pieces for all four remaining kings disappear.

Otto shouts in a rage, "No! This isn't over yet. I enter the game!"

Yugi gasps. "Is that possible!?" Otto disappears.

He reappears in the middle of Yuni, Joey, Tristan, Téa, and Kaiba. Before any of them even notice his sudden appearance, he creates a shockwave of darkness the knocks them and their dragons back, sending them flying in all different directions, leaving them lying weak and/or unconscious on the ground. He begins to gather dark energy in his hand. "Now to destroy you all."

Yugi then appears in front of him. "I won't let you do that. Load capsule, fire! I summon the Dark Magician!" The Dark Magician appears in front of Yugi. Yugi then declares, "Activate Duel Armor!" Yugi fuses with the Dark Magician.

Otto simply chuckles. "Even with that armor, I have more than enough power to destroy you."

Yugi dares, "I'd like to see you try."

Yuni, only partially conscious, watches with horror, realizing what comes next. He tries to warn, "Yugi…" but is too weak to finish."

Yugi shouts, "Go, Dark Magic Attack!" He launches an attack at Otto, but Otto simply floats to the side and avoids it.

Otto then declares, "Let me show you a real attack!" He launches a massive beam of dark energy, the same one that destroyed Yugi before.

Yugi widens his eyes in shock and horror, realizing he has no time to dodge the attack. Then, just before the attack is about to hit him, something leaps out of the trees behind Yugi and pushes him out of the way. Yugi is thrown to the side, and Otto's attack hits something else. It's Cosmo.

Celestia comes running out of the trees, she shouts in absolute horror, "Father, no!" She runs over to his fallen body on the ground. She cradles his head in her hands and begins to cry. "Father…Father! Speak to me Father!"

Cosmo looks up her weakly and grins. He struggles to say, "Celestia, my beautiful daughter…I am so sorry…but we both knew it had to come to this."

Celestia sobs, "You can't do this Father! You can't!"

Cosmo shakes his head. "We both know that's not true. Yugi's life is far more important than mine would ever be. Besides, I've lived my life…I completed my duties. My life is nearly 20,000 years overdue. In this final act I repent for all the Darkness I spread as Oblivion. Goodbye Celestia. My only regret…is that I have to leave you behind…" He disappears.

Celestia shouts, "Father!"

In an uncharacteristic act, Seto walks up behind her, helps her up and hugs her. Celestia weeps on his shoulder. "Oh Seto…I know you're not my Seto, but thank you… thank you so much. You're all I have now. I love you."

Seto takes a deep breath and admits, "I…I love you too Celestia."

Celestia looks up to him with some surprise. She hugs him that much harder and continues to cry.

Yugi looks from that scene to Otto. He shouts in anger, "You're going to be sorry for that!"

Otto laughs. "The only thing I'm sorry for is missing you! I won't miss again!" He charges for another beam of dark energy.

Yugi shouts, "Activate Unity Armor!" The five dragons scattered around the clearing are transformed into bodies of light and absorbed into Yugi. His armor transforms from the Dark Magician into the Unity Armor, slightly different from last time, as it now features elements of Blue-Eyes and Metal Dragon. Then something unexpected happens. Yuni too is transformed into light and absorbed into Yugi. Yugi himself now glows and changes. When the light stops, neither Yugi nor Yuni wear the Unity Armor, but some mixture of the two, with some features of Yugi, and some of Yuni. A golden aura surrounds him. After a moment of confusion, Yugi/Yuni declares in a voice that is an overlay of both of their voices, "You will pay for what you have done Ottiuk!"

Brutus asks in surprise, "Woah, what just happened!?"

Tori, equally shock, answers, "I don't know…I think Yugi and Yuni just recombined. But before they just shared a mind…I think they are of one mind now…"

Otto recoils in surprise. "No! How is that possible?" He fires his beam of darkness.

Yugi/Yuni simply catches the energy in his hands, transforms it into light energy, and fires it back in a beam twice as large at Otto. Otto barely gets out of the way. In a panic, he flies away.

Yugi/Yuni gives chase, flying after him at high speeds. Otto attempts to send blast after blast of dark energy at Yugi/Yuni, but Yugi/Yuni simply swats each attack to the side, rendering them completely harmless. Otto attempts to attack with a pulse of dark energy that can't be dodged or deflected, but Yugi/Yuni stops it with a shield of light.

Yugi/Yuni declares, "We are more powerful than ever before! You can no longer defeat us!" He sends a shockwave of light that hits Otto in the back, causing him to fall to the ground, back face up. Yugi/Yuni grins and flies down. He declares, "This is your last chance. Surrender now and I won't harm you." Otto doesn't respond. Yugi/Yuni grabs him by the shoulder and flips him around so they're facing each other. In doing so, Otto's hood falls off, revealing his face. Yugi/Yuni recoils in shock. "No…that's not possible…Otto is Ottiuk!?"

Otto grins. "So you have discovered my secret at last. Not that it does you any good here. But yes, I give up. But know this, while you have won this battle, the greatest is still ahead. I am mere hours away from reclaiming my full power. Once that happens, I will be invincible." He begins to laugh as he disappears.

Yugi/Yuni shouts, "No!" and tries to grab him, but misses. Otto is gone.

* * *

Yugi/Yuni has returned to the clearing. Celestia is still crying, and everyone else seems to have recovered. Yugi/Yuni lands, and then in a flash of light, splits first into two, Yugi and Yuni, and then the dragons separate as well.

Brutus runs up to Yuni and exclaims, "That was the coolest thing I've ever seen!"

Joey runs up to Yugi and exclaims, "I'm with him! How'd you do that?"

Both Yugi and Yuni look to each other and then shrug. Yugi answers, "I really don't know."

Yuni then looks to Brutus and Tori. "There's something you guys should know though. I don't know how this is possible, but we've met Ottiuk before…face-to-face. He then used the name Otto."

Brutus and Tori gasp. Brutus declares angrily, "That no good, lying, sneak! How could he!?"

Tori shakes her head in disbelief and comments, "I guess that explains why he was always so interested in watching you duel Yuni."

Yugi then says, "There's something else. When we were there, our minds combined as one, your surprise at seeing someone you knew was the stronger of our two reactions, so it is what manifested, but I too know this Ottiuk. He appeared to me under the name of Otik. Ever since the Pharaoh left, we've been having a few chance encounters. Or at least that's what I thought. He claimed to be a fan of mine."

Yuni nods. He thinks, _That makes sense. Whenever we met Otto, Yugi always felt like there was something oddly familiar about him. He just never put two and two together. But this Yugi, in these circumstances, did._

Shadi then appears and declares, "And the victor of this game is Yugi and Yuni."

Yugi nods. "Good, now no one will ever use the Power of the King."

Shadi shakes his head. "That is not entirely true."

"What do you mean?"

"You have already used the Power of the King."

Yugi is confused at first, but then realizes, "The Unity Armor!"

Shadi nods. "Exactly. While the game is meant to be a trial to determine whether one is worthy of the power of the King or not, the Power of the King can also decide for itself. If it decides that one in the game is truly worthy, it will intervene and grant a small portion of its power to the worthy one in order to influence the outcome of the game."

Yuni thinks for a second, "Wait a second…the Power of the King is the ability to fuse? That sounds familiar."

Shadi explains, "The Power of the King is an ancient power. One even more so than this planet. Its power to allow its controller to overcome nearly any challenge, allowing it to gain a reputation as another hope."

Yuni, Tori, and Brutus all gasp. Yuni says in shock, "That's impossible…"

Shadi looks to Yuni. "You are not of this time. Neither am I. As a spirit I exist outside of time and space. I can see forward in time, and across timelines. In 5,000 years, in another timeline, those close to you will return here."

Yuni suddenly has a vision. He sees his parents. They stand in the middle of a jungle. Yuni's father beckons forward and declares, "And there you have it, an Egyptian Pyramid right in the middle of India. The archeological discovery of the millennium."

Yuni's mother says with disbelief, "I'm seeing it, but I don't believe it."

"What's even harder to believe is that according to satellite information, this pyramid just popped out of the ground a few days ago. Regardless, we now get to become the first archeologists to explore it."

Yuni's mother nods. "Yes, let's do this."

The vision jumps, and the two are now inside the pyramid. They stand in the map room to be exact. Yuni's mother asks, "What do you think it is Ben? It almost looks like some kind of game board."

Yuni's father nod in agreement. "I think it's possible we might have stumbled upon another form of the Shadow Games."

Yuni's mother reaches out to touch a panel. Shadi's voice suddenly declares, "Stop, you do not need to enter the game."

Yuni's mother and father look up in surprise to see Shadi floating above the map. Yuni's father asks, "Who are you?"

Shadi answers, "I am an ancient spirit and guardian of this temple. It has been my duty for over ten millennia to guard the Power of the King that rests within this game. You two are parents of Yuni Oha. With your arrival here, my time as guardian has come to an end."

Yuni's parents are shocked. Yuni's father angrily demands, "How do you know our son!?"

Shadi answers, "Your son is destined for greatness. He will become a hero unlike any seen on this planet in 5,000 years. Allow me to show you." He holds out his arm and grants a vision to the two of them. They are shown scenes from Yuni's future, including his defeat of Apophis/Apep, his crowning as the second King of Games, his duel with Talok, and even him fusing with Yugi in Capsule Monsters. They are left speechless.

Yuni's mother finally asks, "You have shown us scenes of our son's future? That is what he is to become?"

Shadi nods. "Yes."

Yuni's father then demands, "But we weren't in any of those visions. That can't be Yuni!"

"I am sorry, but your time with your son is nearly over. Your son is one of the two most important beings living on this planet. It is your destiny to protect him…no matter what happens."

Yuni's mother gasps. Yuni's father demands angrily, "You have given us no reason to believe you! Why should we trust you!?"

Yuni's mother turns to his father and says, "Ben…I trust him. I don't know why, but I just have this feeling. Everything he says is true, I know it, and so do you."

Yuni's father slowly nods. "Yes…I feel it too Jade."

Yuni's mother looks to Shadi and says, "You have showed us what a wonderful young man our little boy is going to grow up to be, and I couldn't be more proud of him for it. If you are to be believed, then we never would have seen him like that without you. Thank you, thank you so much."

Shadi nods in acknowledgment. A card appears floating in front of him. "This card is the Power of the King. Your son is the only one alive worthy of wielding this power. This, he has already proven, and will prove again. Deliver this card to him, for it is his destiny." The card floats over to the two. It is Another Hope.

Yuni's mother takes the card. One last time she says, "Thank you kind spirit." The vision ends.

Yuni whispers to himself with joy, "They're proud of me…they actually got to see who I became…and they're proud of me…" He looks up to Shadi and asks, "What was that? How did that happen?"

Shadi answers, "You too are a victor of this game. You as well as Yugi have proven yourself worthy of the Power of the King, but now is not the correct time for you to acquire it. In 5,000 years destiny will lead Ben and Jade Oha here so that they may claim the Power of the King in your name." Yuni nods in understanding.

Yugi objects, "Wait a second, we can't let the Power of the King leave this game. What are you saying?"

Yuni looks to Yugi and explains, "Yugi, there's this card I used to have, I don't know how, but it is the Power of the King. My parents will find it 5,000 years from now in an archeological expedition. I never knew to where, but now I know it was India. This card is the key to defeating Ottiuk."

Yugi shakes his head in disbelief. "I wouldn't normally believe you, but we just shared a mind…and for some reason something about that seemed so right. After that experience, I trust you."

Yuni walks over to Celestia and Seto. "I am so sorry for what happened to your father Celestia, but I need to know why Another Hope is here. Please, tell me."

Celestia looks up to Yuni and sniffles. She forces herself to stop crying just long enough to answer, "Capsule Monsters is actually an ancient Yugohan trial. My father and I suspected that much when we first came here. As soon as we heard of the Power of the King, we knew what it was. When Another Hope was hidden here on Earth, a trial was created to protect it. To make sure that only you could gain its power."

Yuni nods. "Alright, but Ottiuk should already have Another Hope, since my locket was left behind on Earth. Why would he need it to get it from here?"

"If he could stop you from completing the trial here, he could make sure that Another Hope would never become yours, making things even easier for him. Ottiuk would be even more powerful."

Yugi then says to Yuni, "And I know from my time sharing a mind with you that Ottiuk must be stopped at all costs. What do I have to do to help?"


	25. Episode 132: It's Time to Duel On Part 1

Episode 132: It's Time to Duel On! Part 1

**The Land of Capsule Monsters, 5,000 Years Ago**

Yuni, his friends, Yugi, and his friends are at the jungle ruins in the aftermath of Otto's defeat in the ultimate Capsule Monsters game. Yugi asks Yuni, "What do I have to do to help?"

Yuni says, "You need to come with us to my time, where we will face Ottiuk. We have already gathered the help of Timaeus, Critias, Atem, and Priest Seto as well."

Yugi says with shock, "What!? The Pharaoh's with you!?"

Yuni nods. "Yes, he is. And he is really looking forward to seeing you."

Yugi is very happy. "So am I…" he then thinks about everything that's going on. "I just wish our reunion could occur under better circumstances."

Yuni nods. "I'm sure you do."

Shadi, who has been silently watching, then declares, "The game is over, the prize has been awarded. It is time for you to leave this realm." He looks to Yugi. "There is a great battle ahead of you. Please, keep that armor as my gift. It may help you in the future."

Yugi grins. "Thank you for your help Shadi. I will gladly accept it."

Shadi then bids them, "Goodbye, and good luck." In a flash of light, everyone is suddenly deposited back in the map room. Yuni's Duel Armor chest plate and everyone's Capsule Launchers and belts are gone. Yugi, however, still wears his armor.

Only moments after they reappear, Atem shouts, "Yugi!"

Yugi turns around to see Atem. He begins to run towards him. "Pharaoh!" After a moment's hesitation, he asks, "Or should I call you Atem now?"

Atem shakes his head. "You can call me whatever you'd like. Spirit, Yami, Pharaoh, Atem, it doesn't matter to me."

Yugi makes it to him and hugs him. "Even though it's only been a few years, I feel like we've been apart forever. It's so great to see you again."

Atem nods. "And I have missed you as well."

Joey, Tristan, and Téa also approach Atem. Joey says, "Hey, we missed you too."

Tristan says, "Yeah man, it's so great to see you!"

Téa adds, "I never thought we would actually be able to see you again."

Atem looks to them and says, "I have missed you as well, my friends." They begin to reminisce about old times and laugh.

Yuni silently watches their joyful reunion. Tori walks up to him and states, "I'm sure you wish that your reunion with Yugi could have been more like that."

Yuni nods. "Yes…I do. It's fine though, I've only been separated from Yugi for a few days, and Atem has been for years."

Tori shrugs. "You still deserve it though."

Critias and Priest Seto both notice that Celestia seems depressed. They step towards her and begin to say something at the same time, but then they realize that she is holding hands with Seto. They stop, and then exchange awkward glances.

Deciding that he's given Yugi and Atem enough time, Yuni steps forward and asks Atem, "What happened to you guys joining the game? Why'd you just wait out here?"

Atem replies, "Believe me, we were surprised to see you appear. No tile on the game board ever began to glow at any point. We never had a cue to enter the game."

Yuni tilts his head. "Huh, that's odd. Things occurred differently this time than they did last time."

Yugi asks, "What do you mean by that?"

Yuni quickly shakes his head. "Don't worry about it. It's not that big of a deal."

"Alright, so why don't you tell me. How are we going to get back to your time?"

Yuni grins. "Believe it or not, but the answer is a duel."

Yugi grins too. "I can believe that."

Yuni looks to Joey, Tristan, and Téa. "You might want to take this chance to say goodbye to your friends."

Joey objects, "Whoa, whoa, whoa, we're not going anywhere."

Tristan declares, "Yeah, we go where Yugi goes."

Téa adds, "And don't give us some speech about how dangerous it is. We can take it."

Yuni shakes his head. "No, it's not that. You see, the only ones we can take out of your timeline are Yugi and Kaiba. I'm sorry, but it's impossible for you guys to come with us."

Joey looks to Yugi and asks, "He's got to be just saying that, right? That's not true, tell him we can come with you Yug."

Yugi shakes his head. "I'm sorry Joey, but he knows more about this than I do, and he has no reason to lie about this." He looks to all three them. "You guys are going to have to go home without me. I'll catch up with you later, I promise."

Téa nods. "Alright, just be careful out there. Make sure you do come back."

Tristan laughs. "Come on Téa, he's the King of Games! I'm sure this Ottiuk guy is nothing compared to Marik, Dartz, or Bakura. Yugi will beat him, no problemo."

Joey nods in agreement. "Yeah, Yugi hasn't lost yet, he won't now."

Téa nods. "Alright." She then takes Yugi's hand, along with Joey and Tristan, causing them to all stick their arms straight out towards a central point. "Just remember our symbol of friendship. Even if you're going to be in a whole different time, we'll be with you Yugi, always."

Joey nods. "Yeah, we'll always have your back."

Tristan adds, "No matter what."

Yugi grins. "Thank you guys. I'll see you later." He then turns to face Yuni. "Alright, I'm ready. Let's duel."

Yuni nods. "In that case, Yugi Muto, I challenge you to a duel!"

With that, Yuni, Yugi, and everyone else except for Joey, Tristan, and Téa are transported to the realm outside of time. A Duel Disk has appeared around Yugi's wrist. He activates it, and Yuni activates his Duel Gauntlet. Yugi declares, "It's time to duel!"

Right as Yugi's saying duel, Yuni declares, "Duel on!" so it sounds like the two of them are saying, "It's time to duel on!"

Yugi takes the first move and draws. He declares, "I activate Polymerization in order to fuse the Berfomet and Gazelle the King of Mythical Beasts in my hand, in order to summon Chimera the Flying Mythical Beast (Wind/Level 6/Beast/Fusion/ATK 2100/DEF 1800)!" Out of the Polymerization vortex, Yugi's famous fusion monster appears. "I then set one card and end my turn (Yugi's hand: 2)."

Brutus asks Tori, "Is it even possible for Yuni to win this? I mean he's up against Yugi Muto, the greatest duelist to ever live, the original King of Games. There's no way that Yuni can do this."

Tori replies skeptically, "I don't know, the game of Duel Monsters has definitely changed a lot in the past 5,000 years. That should give Yuni an advantage, not to mention the fact that Yuni knows everything about Yugi, but Yugi knows nothing about Yuni." She then adds a moment later, "Besides, I bet that Yuni could give Yugi a run for his money for that title."

Yuni draws. He declares, "I summon the Cyber-Tech Cannon (Fire/Level 4/Machine/Effect/ATK 1700/DEF 0)! When I summon this monster, it takes a shot at yours, and destroys it! Go Cyber-Tech Cannon, take aim at Chimera!"

Tori says, "See, he's already playing with better cards than Yugi."

Yugi declares, "Activate facedown card: De-Fusion! I can now separate Chimera back into Berfomet (Dark/Level 5/Fiend/Effect/ATK 1400/DEF 1800) and Gazelle (Earth/Level 4/Beast/Normal/ATK 1500/DEF 1200)! I summon them both in Defense Mode." The space around Yugi's monster warps, and it is separated. Yuni's Cyber-Tech Cannon fires its cannon, but misses, now that Chimera is no longer on the field.

Brutus then says to Tori, "See, Yugi's making up for his cards with a better strategy, that's how he always won."

Yuni nods with respect. "I guess that's why you're the King of Games."

Yugi grins. "You could say that."

"There's something you should know, though. Where I come from, I'm the King of Games! Cyber-Tech Cannon, attack Gazelle!" Yuni's monster re-aims its cannon and fire again. It destroys Yugi's monsters.

Yugi nods. "So that's why you called me the first King of Games earlier. You're the second."

Yuni nods. "Exactly. Now, I set a card and end my turn (Yuni's hand: 4)."

Yugi draws. "I summon the Dark Disciple (Dark/Level 3/Spellcaster/Effect/ATK 1200/DEF 800)." This monster appears to be a weaker/younger version of the Dark Magician, wearing very similar purple armor. "Now I activate its effect. By discarding a Dark Magician monster from my hand, such as the Dark Magician Girl, I can draw two cards." Yugi does just that. "Then, on the turn it's summoned, the Dark Disciple grants me an extra summon, assuming that summon is the tribute summon of a Dark Attribute monster. I have just the card. I tribute the Dark Disciple in order to summon the Summoned Skull (Dark/Level 6/Fiend/Normal/ATK 2500/DEF 1200)!" The Summoned Skull appears on the field and shrieks. "Now I switch Gazelle to Attack Mode. Summoned Skull, attack the Cyber-Tech Cannon with Lightning Strike!" The Summoned Skull creates a bolt of lightning between its hands and hurls it at Yuni's monster, destroying it (Yuni's LP: 3200). "Now Gazelle, attack Yuni directly!"

Yuni declares, "I discard Kuriborg from my hand in order to negate your attack!" Kuriborg appears in front of Yuni and shields him from Gazelle's vicious claws.

Upon seeing this, a vision manifests for Yugi. He sees Yuni and Seto locked in a duel. Seto has his Cosmic Plasma Dragon, but Yuni's field is empty. Seto declares, "You are through! Cosmic Plasma Dragon attack one last time! Plasma Stream of Destruction!"

Yuni thinks in despair, _There is nothing I can do._

But then Yugi's voice tells him, _We're not finished yet, we are going to get help from an old friend._

_What do you mean? What can I do? Please tell me!_

_Activate your facedown card now._

Yuni declares, "I activate my facedown card, Cyber-Tech Factory! This card lets me add one machine type monster to my hand." A display of Yuni's deck is then shown on the duel screen. _What do I do now?_

_Pick our old friend._

Suddenly Yuni is drawn towards a specific card. He taps the card to select it and the card is added to his hand. He looks at it and then gasps as he realizes what it is. _I would have never thought of that on my own!_ He then declares, "I discard my Kuriborg. I can discard this card to negate a direct attack." Just as it blocked the Summoned Skull's attack, Kuriborg blocks the Cosmic Plasma Dragon's attack.

Yugi's voice then says, _Thank you friend, I know I can always trust you._

The vision ends. Yugi asks, "What was that? What just happened?"

Yuni grins. "What you just saw was a vision of your future. The first time that you and I met, and the first time you got me out of a tough spot. Definitely not the last time though."

Yugi shakes his head in disbelief. "But I wasn't even there, how was I communicating with you?"

"You'll figure that all out in due time. Just let the memories return to you."

Yugi nods. "Alright, I can do that (Yugi's hand: 2)."

"I'm looking forward to when you do." Yuni draws. He then thinks, _Alright, Yugi definitely can duel to back up his title. If I want to defeat him, I'm going to have to use every advantage I've got. That means I've got to pull out the newer cards. _He then declares, "I summon the Cyber-Tech Mystic (Water/Level 1/Spellcaster/Effect/ATK 300/DEF 200), but then tribute it in order to Special Summon the Cyber-Tech Flora (Earth/Level 6/Plant/Effect/ATK 1900/DEF 2400). Then, by reducing the level of Cyber-Tech Flora by one (Level: 5), I can Special Summon the Cyber-Tech Resonance from my hand (Wind/Level 2/Machine/Tuner/ATK 900/DEF 900)." The monster is a small mechanical creature. All around various points on its body are speakers, and it holds a tuning fork in one of its hands. The monster emits a humming noise. "Now I have my level two Cyber-Tech Resonance tune my level five Cyber-Tech Flora! I Synchro Summon Cyber-Tech Hypersonic (Wind/Level 7/Machine/Synchro/ATK 500/DEF 500)!" The monster first appears in the form of an ultra-aerodynamic jet plane, but then its parts and pieces shift around, causing it to transform into a humanoid robot, with several characteristics from the jet leftover.

Yugi exclaims, "Synchro what!?"

Yuni grins, and has flashback to his duel with Sly, his first after he learned that Yugi was in his mind. Sly declares, "Now my level two Fiendish Servant tunes my level six Fiendish Huntsman. I Synchro Summon Fiendish King!"

Yugi then exclaims, _Synchro what!?_

Yuni responds, _Hmm…I guess you're too old to know about Synchro. A Synchro is a type of monster that stays in the extra deck, like Fusions. You summon them by having one Tuner monster and one or more non-Tuner monsters. You get rid of both and add their levels together to summon a Synchro monster of equal level._

_Oh, so basically they are cheap, easy to summon knock-offs of Fusion Monsters._

_Well, if you put it that way, yeah, they pretty much are._

The flashback ends. Yuni thinks, _He reacted the exact same way this time as he did way back then. I guess some things never change. _Yuni then says to Yugi, "Suffice it to say that it's a new type of monster created after your time. It's basically a cheap, easy to summon knock-off of Fusion Monsters."

Yugi nods curiously, perhaps sensing the familiarity of Yuni's statement, and says, "Alright then, I'll take your word for it."

Yuni nods. "Alright then, when Cyber-Tech Hypersonic is summoned, it gains Attack and Defense Points equal to the attack of your strongest monster. So I'll be taking the power of your Summoned Skull (ATK and DEF: 3000). Now Cyber-Tech Hypersonic, attack the Summoned Skull with Hypersonic Boom!" Yuni's monster transforms back into a jet and flies off at incredible speeds. This creates a sonic boom, the shockwave of which destroys Yugi's monster (Yugi's LP: 3500). Yuni's monster then returns to him and transforms back into a robot. "I end my turn (Yuni's hand: 1)."

Yugi draws. "I summon Beta the Magnet Warrior (Earth/Level 4/Rock/Normal/ATK 1700/DEF 1600)! Then I activate the card Magnetic Attraction! By tributing my Gazelle the King of Mythical Beasts, I can use the magnetic pull of my Beta in order to summon two more Magnet monsters from my deck. Come forth, Alpha the Magnet Warrior (Earth/Level 4/Rock/Normal/ATK 1400/DEF 1700) and Gamma the Magnet Warrior (Earth/Level 4/Rock/Normal/ATK 1500/DEF 1800)!" Two more magnet monsters join Yugi's first. "That's not all Magnetic Attraction can do though. If I control three different Magnet monsters after activating it, I can then add their combined form to my hand as well. Now, Alpha, Beta, Gamma, combine together and merge into Valkyrion the Magna Warrior (Earth/Level 8/Rock/Effect/ATK 3500/DEF 3850)!" The pieces of the monsters separate, and then recombine into one monster. "Now Valkyrion, destroy Cyber-Tech Hypersonic with Magna Saber Slash!" The blade of Yugi's monster tears through Yuni's, causing it to shatter away (Yuni's LP: 2700).

Yuni flinches at the attack, but then declares, "When Cyber-Tech Hypersonic is destroyed it doesn't leave me empty handed. It summons one of the monsters used to summon it from the graveyard. I revive Cyber-Tech Flora in Defense Mode!"

"The blade of my Magna Warrior has slain many great monsters. I now add yours to the list."

Yuni asks, "Is that compliment or an insult?"

Yugi grins. "I'll leave that part up to you (Yugi's hand: 1)."

Yuni draws. "I'll take it as a compliment then." He looks at his hand and thinks, _Time to take this a step forward. _Aloud he says, "Since my Life Points are lower than yours, I can special Summon the Cyber-Tech Healer from my hand (Light/Level 6/Spellcaster/Effect/ATK 2400/DEF 2600), and when she's Special Summoned in such a way, she increases my Life Points by 1000." The monster appears and a golden light envelops Yuni (Yuni's LP: 3700). Yuni grins, "Now it's time to take things into the next generation! I Overlay my two level six monsters in order to build the Xyz Network! I Xyz Summon Cyber-Tech Time Traveler (Light/Rank 6/Psychic/Xyz/ATK 2600/DEF 2300) (OVL: 2)!" This monster is human figure outfitted with extensive cybernetic implants and a large clock on his chest.

Yugi asks with confusion, "Exceed? What are you exceeding?"

Yuni grins. Another flashback of his duel with Sly comes to him. Sly declares, "Now I overlay my two level seven monsters to build the overly network. I Xyz summon Fiendish Overlord!"

Yugi asks, _Exceed, what is he exceeding?_

_I guess you're a little old for those guys also. It is not exceed, it's ek-seez and it is spelt X-Y-Z._

_Well…that's…strange._

_Yeah, I know. Anyways, you summon an Xyz monster by getting two or more monsters of the same level and placing them on top of each other. This is called Overlaying. The Xyz monster comes from the Extra Deck also and instead of having levels they have ranks. In addition, most Xyz monsters require that you remove one or more of their Overlay Units in order to activate their effects._

_Somewhat more original, but still just a rip-off of Fusions._

_Basically._

The flashback ends and Yuni laughs to himself. He then says to Yugi, "Let's just call them somewhat more original rip-offs of Fusions."

Yugi shrugs. "I guess I'll have to go with that."

Yuni nods. "I'm glad we have an understanding. Now, Cyber-Tech Time Traveler, attack Valkyrion the Magna Warrior!"

Yugi is puzzled. "What do you plan to do with my monster being stronger than yours?"

"I activate the effect of mine! If it declares an attack against a monster, I can remove both of its Overlay Units to activate its effect (OVL: 0). My monster first travels back in time, to attack you in the past, dealing you damage equal to half of its attack." The monster absorbs both of its Overlay Units through its central clock. The clock then winds backwards and the monster disappears. Yugi life points lower out of nowhere (Yugi's LP: 2200). "Then my monster reappears and pulls your monster with it into the future by one turn." As he said it would, the time traveler appears again. Its clock then begins to move forward. It grabs a hold of Valkyrion, and both monsters disappear. "And now I can end my turn (Yuni's hand: 1)."

Brutus and Tori are both transfixed on the duel. Tori says in awe, "This duel is of absolutely legendary proportions…the King of Games dueling it out. I don't know if it could get any better…" Brutus nods in agreement.


	26. Episode 133: It's Time to Duel On Part 2

Episode 133: It's Time to Duel On! Part 2

**The Realm Outside of Time**

Yuni and Yugi are having their ceremonial duel, both sides of the field are empty except for a facedown Spell or Trap on Yuni' side. Yuni has just ended his turn. Yugi says, "I see what you're trying to do. You are trying to keep me off guard by using your new summoning methods against me. But let me tell you something, if I let stuff like that intimidate me, then I would never have gotten where I am today. I don't care what kind of bizarre monsters you have, I'll stop them anyway!"

Yuni grins. "And that's one of the things I like most about you; your determination. I don't know if I could have made it where I am today without it."

Yugi draws. "Allow me to show you some more of it then!"

Yuni comments, "Now that your next turn has begun, my Cyber-Tech Time Traveler (Light/Rank 6/Psychic/Xyz/ATK 2600/DEF 2300) (OVL: 0) and your Valkyrion the Magna Warrior (Earth/Level 8/Rock/Effect/ATK 3500/DEF 3850) return to the field." The monsters appear exactly as they disappeared in the previous turn.

Yugi nods. "Welcome back. Now, I activate the Pot of Greed and draw two cards!" Yugi draws his cards. "And I drew a great card too! I activate the Black Luster Ritual! From my hand I tribute the Dark Magician of Chaos so that I may summon the mighty Black Luster Soldier (Earth/Level 8/Warrior/Ritual/ATK 3000/DEF 2500)!" A ritualistic pyre appears on Yugi's field, and from it emerges the Black Luster Soldier.

Yuni looks at the monster and thinks, _The Chaos is strong in this one…It's certainly no coincidence that Yugi uses the original form of the Envoy of the Beginning._

Yugi commands, "Black Luster Soldier, attack Yuni's Cyber-Tech Time Traveler, Chaos Blade!" Black Luster Soldier leaps into the air and brings its sword plunging down into Yuni's only monster, destroying it (Yuni's LP: 3100). "Now Valkyrion the Magna Warrior, finish this duel off, Magna Saber Slash!"

Yuni states, "Come on Yugi, you know as well as I do that it's never going to be that easy. I activate my facedown card, Cyber Regeneration! I can only activate this card since you destroyed my Cyber-Tech Time Traveler and I have only one card in my hand, but it allows me to negate your attack and then draw a card!" the attack of Valkyrion is halted and Yuni draws.

"I never expected it to be that easy. I'm glad I was right. I end my turn (Yugi's hand: 0)."

Yuni draws another card. "Yugi, the showcase of future cards isn't over yet! In my Left Pendulum Zone I place Cyber-Tech Tick (Left Pendulum Scale: 4) and in my Right Pendulum Zone I place Cyber-Tech Tock (Right Pendulum Scale: 8)!" Pillars of light appear on either side of Yuni, and his specially-created Pendulum Monsters appear.

Yugi questions, "And these are?"

"Pendulum Monsters are Monster-Spell hybrids that allow for quick summoning. I'll show you, but first I'll activate the second effect of Cyber Regeneration. Since I once again have only one card in my hand, I can add two Cyber monsters from my grave to my hand. I'll take back Cyber-Tech Flora and Cyber-Tech Healer. Now, on to the Pendulum Summon. Since I have a Scale Four and a Scale Eight Pendulum Monster, I can summon any number of monsters with levels between their scales from my hand! Go, Pendulum Summon! I summon Cyber-Tech Flora (Earth/Level 6/Plant/Effect/ATK 1900/DEF 2400), Cyber-Tech Healer (Light/Level 6/Spellcaster/Effect/ATK 2400/DEF 2600), and Cyber-Tech Behemoth (Dark/Level 7/Fiend/Effect/ATK 2500/DEF 1700)!" The final monster to be summoned is a massive, hulking beast. It is armored in cybernetic plates.

"It certainly is a way to summon monsters quickly, but none of your monsters are strong enough to take on mine."

There's one more thing you don't know about Pendulum Monsters. While in the Pendulum Zone, they can activate their powerful Pendulum Effects. The effect of Cyber-Tech Tick increases the strength of each of my monsters by 300 for every Pendulum Summoned monsters on the field (Flora's ATK: 2800) (Healer's ATK: 3300) (Behemoth's ATK: 3400)."

"That's still not enough."

"And I'm still not done. You see, the Cyber-Tech Behemoth doesn't like it when he's not the strongest monster on the field, so he can absorb the attack that any monster on the field has gained attack points beyond its original, and force it into Defense Mode. I'll use the effect on my own Cyber-Tech Flora." Cyber-Tech Flora is switched to a defensive position and energy is drained from it (ATK: 1900). Conversely, Cyber-Tech Behemoth grows stronger (ATK: 4300). "Now my monsters are strong enough. Cyber-Tech Behemoth, attack Valkyrion the Magna Warrior!" Yuni's monster smashes Yugi's into pieces (Yugi's LP: 1400). "Great, now Cyber-Tech Healer attack the Black Luster Soldier!" With a spell, the mage destroys Yugi's soldier (Yugi's LP: 1100).

Yugi nods in admiration. "You are a powerful and skilled duelist. I will give you that."

Yuni grins back. "I was trained by the best. Now, at the end of my turn, the attack boost from Cyber-Tech Tick goes away, as well as Behemoth's boost (Behemoth's ATK: 2500) (Healer's ATK: 2400) (Yuni's hand: 0)."

Yugi declares, "You are a worthy opponent, so worthy in fact that I am going to put all of my faith into the Heart of the Cards for this next draw." He prepares to draw, but then is suddenly assaulted with a new vision. This one is quick. It takes place during Yuni's duel with Apep, right before he performed his first Chaos Draw. Yuni is despairing that he's going to lose, and Yugi suggests, _Then you better believe in the Heart of the Cards, and then maybe you can draw what you need._

Yuni says back to him,_ How many times must I tell you? That is only a philosophy, it won't actually help me._

The vision ends. Yugi looks to Yuni and asks, "Tell me, you don't believe in the Heart of the Cards, do you?"

Yuni sighs and admits, "Not really. I've always looked at it as a nice idea, maybe even a philosophy to live by. But it having an actual effect on the duel…never."

Yugi nods. He then closes his eyes and draws. Upon seeing the card he drew, he smiles and declares, "Well then, I guess the fact that I drew this card is just pure luck. I activate Card of Sanctity!" Yuni gaps. "You seem to already know what this card does. We now both draw cards until we have six cards in our hands." Yuni draws. Yugi prepares to draw, but before he does he states, "Shall we test your theory about the Heart of the Cards as philosophy further?" Yugi draws six cards. Yugi grins. "It would appear that the Heart of the Card has repaid me for my faith in it. I activate Monster Reborn! This mighty spell brings back a monster from my Graveyard, such as the Dark Magician Girl I discarded earlier (Dark/Level 6/Spellcaster/Effect/ATK 2000/DEF 1700)!" The Dark Magician Girl appears and strikes a pose.

Brutus goes weak at the sight of her. He practically squeals in excitement, "It's the Dark Magician Girl!"

Tori teases, "Does someone have a crush?"

Brutus quickly regains his composure and denies, "No, not at all. What are you talking about?" He does blush though.

Yugi continues, "Then I activate the Sage's Stone! This card brings the Dark Magician out to join his apprentice (Dark/Level 7/Spellcaster/Normal/ATK 2500/DEF 2100)!" A mystical stone appears next to Dark Magician Girl. In a surge of energy, it transforms into the Dark Magician. "Then I equip my Dark Magician with the spell Thousand Years of Mastery. By tributing my Dark Magician equipped with this card, I can advance the clocks by 1000 years and summon the Dark Sage (Dark/Level 9/Spellcaster/Effect/ATK 2800/DEF 3200)!" An older and wiser form of the Dark Magician appears. "That doesn't finish things for me though, because I now activate the Dark Sage's effect to add any Spell Card from my deck to my hand. I add the Spell Fusion Recharge, which I'll activate. This card allows me to add one Polymerization and one monster that can be used as a Fusion Material from my grave to my hand. I'll take back the Dark Magician and activate that Polymerization! I fuse Dark Magician with the Buster Blader in my hand in order to summon the mighty Dark Paladin (Dark/Level 8/Spellcaster/Fusion/ATK 2900/DEF 2400)!" Out of the fusion vortex Yugi's blade-wielding, dragon-slaying magician appears. "And to keep things moving, I activate the effect of the Dark Disciple in my graveyard. By banishing it, I can Special Summon a Dark Magician monster from my graveyard. Return once more, Dark Magician! Then, I increase the power of my magician once more by the magic of Dedication through Light and Darkness! I tribute the Dark Magician in order to summon the Dark Magician of Chaos (Dark/Level 8/Spellcaster/Effect/ATK 2800/DEF 2600) from my graveyard!" Two orbs, one of Light, and the other of Darkness begin to rotate around the Dark Magician. The monster then absorbs both, and transforms into its Chaos form. "In one final move, I activate the effect of the Dark Magician of Chaos, which adds a Spell Card from my graveyard back to my hand. I return Monster Reborn and use it to revive the Dark Magician one last time!"

Yugi's move has left everyone stunned and speechless. Tori breaks the silence by asking in awe and disbelief, "How…is that possible…?"

Brutus then asks, "Did he really just go from having one card in his hand to summoning five Dark Magician monsters in one turn?"

Kaiba comments, "That's Yugi for you."

Atem grins and says, "You've only grown that much better since we've separated."

Yuni is stunned and speechless as well. He finally manages to say, "Impressive, but that doesn't scare me."

Yuni grins slyly. "I've still got one card left in my hand." Everyone gasps. "The one card I have left is the ultimate spell of dark magic. I activate Supreme Dark Magic Attack! Since I control a field of Dark Magician monsters, I can activate this mighty card. Now each of my magicians combine their strength together and unleash it all upon you in one devastating attack, destroying every card you control! I don't know what you were planning to stop me, but it's about to be destroyed! And so will you, because once your cards are destroyed, you'll take damage equal to the total Attack Points of all your monsters! That's enough to wipe you out!" The Dark Magician raises his staff and begins to charge for a Dark Magic Attack. The Dark Magician Girl then crosses her staff with his, adding her power. Then the Dark Magician of Chaos crosses his staff from the opposite side of Dark Magician Girl. Then both the Dark Sage and Dark Paladin cross their staves from opposite sides. The five staves all gather energy together, generating a massive orb of pure dark energy. Yugi then commands, "Go, Supreme Dark Magic Attack!" The magicians unleash their spell and launch the orb of dark energy into the sky above Yuni's field. The orb explodes, creating an incredible shockwave of darkness that completely devastates Yuni's field.

Tori gasps, "Oh no, Yuni's lost!"

Brutus asks, "What happens if Yuni loses?"

Celestia responds, "Then we have failed. We cannot recruit Yugi to help us, and without him, there is no hope of victory."

The shockwave from the blast clears and Yuni is standing there, completely unharmed (Yuni's LP: 3100). Yuni declares, "Then it's a good thing I haven't lost."

Everyone gasps in surprise. Yugi nods, actually seeming pleased and amused. "How did you survive that attack?"

"While you might have been able to destroy every card I control and any card I might have been able to use to stop your attacks, you did not stop the cards in my hand. I discarded the Cyber-Tech Mage in order to stop any effect damage dealt to me this turn."

Tori and Brutus cheer, "Yeah Yuni!"

Yugi nods. It looks like Yuni has won some respect from him. "I see. If that's the case then I have no choice other than to end my turn, since I'm not allowed to attack the turn that activate Supreme Dark Magic Attack (Yugi's hand: 0)."

Before Yuni draws, he says, "Yugi, I may not believe in the Heart of the Cards, but there are other forces at work that I do believe in. Judging by the cards I drew from your Card of Sanctity, I'm betting that by those forces, this was destined to be a truly great duel. Now witness that power, as I do not need the Heart of Cards to draw the cards I need. Go, Chaos Draw!" Yuni's hand begins to glow with Light and Darkness, as does his deck. He swipes the top card of his deck up in a dramatic fashion. He looks to the card and nods. "You're not the only one with a deck of magician monsters. From my graveyard I banish the Cyber-Tech Mage to activate its second effect and add a Cyber-Tech Magician from my deck to my hand! Then, by banishing the Cyber-Tech Mystic I sent to my grave earlier, I can Special Summon the Cyber-Tech Magician (Dark/Level 7/Spellcaster/Effect/ATK 2500/DEF 2100) and add a Cyber-Tech Spellbook from my deck to my hand, such as the Cyber-Tech Spellbook of Mastery!"

Upon seeing Yuni's Magician, Yugi gasps. He is assaulted with visions of many of the times he and Yuni won a duel using it. He sees their first duel against Seto and their duel against Apophis, among others.

After the vision, Yuni continues, "Now, since I control the Cyber-Tech Magician, I can Special Summon the Cyber-Tech Apprentice (Dark/Level 6/Spellcaster/Effect/ATK 2000/DEF 1700). I equip her with the Cyber-Tech Spellbook of Mastery, and I equip the Cyber-Tech Magician with the Wisdom of Yugoha: Chronoton Staff (ATK: 3500)! Now I summon Cyber-Tech Mirror Mech (Light/Level 4/Machine/Effect/ATK 0/DEF 0)." The monster is a robot that's entire exterior is made of mirrors. "This robot mirrors one of my other monsters, actually becoming it." The monster transforms into a second Cyber-Tech Magician. "Now I activate the effect of the Chronoton Staff and increase the turn count by three! With that, the Cyber-Tech Apprentice has now been on the field for more than a turn while equipped with the Cyber-Tech Spellbook of Mastery and being on the field with the Cyber-Tech Magician, so I can tribute her in order to summon her upgraded form, the Cyber-Tech Magician Girl (Dark/Level 6/Spellcaster/Effect/ATK 2000/DEF 1700)! Also, my Mirror Mech Cyber-Tech Magician has been on the field for three turns, meaning I can evolve it!" He looks to Yugi and declares, "To borrow your own words that you haven't said yet, allow me to show you a summoning method that is actually original!" He then chants, "Listen now to the chant I recite! Come forth and bring me victory in this fight! Cyber-Tech Magician evolve and show me your true might! I summon Temporax, the Cyber-Tech Magician of Time (Dark/Level 9/Spellcaster/Evolution/ATK 3500/DEF 3100)!" The fake Cyber-Tech Magician transforms into the temporal magician. "But that's not all I'm evolving! I activate Celestial Advancement: Duality of Chaos in order to perform a Celestial Apex Evolution! Power of the Cosmos, come to me, grant me the power to protect Yugoha from its enemy! Chaos and Cosmos come together as one, increase the strength of my magician so this battle may be won! I summon Aeon, the Cyber-Tech Magician Guardian of Yugoha (Dark/Level 10/Spellcaster/Evolution/ATK 2500/DEF 2100)!" Yuni's next evolution of the Cyber-Tech Magician appears. It still wields the Chronoton Staff (ATK: 3500). "Don't think I'm through yet though, because I activate the Spell, Evolution Branch! This card summons a phantom form of one of a monster I've used as an Evolution Base, meaning I get yet another Cyber-Tech Magician! And by banishing the Light Attribute Cyber-Tech Healer and Dark Attribute Kuriborg from my grave, I can evolve it too! Go, Chaos Evolution! O, Will of Chaos, hear me plead, grant me the power that I need! White as day, black as night, Cyber-Tech Magician, unleash your might! I summon Discordon, the Cyber-Tech Magician of Chaos (Light/Level 9/Spellcaster/Evolution/ATK 3300/DEF 2900)!" After being engulfed by Light and Darkness, Yuni's final evolution of the Cyber-Tech Magician appears. "Now with the final card in my hand, I complete the set! I activate Evolution Reemergence! This card summons the Evolution Base out from underneath one of my Evolution monsters. Return to the field, Cyber-Tech Magician!" Now both sides of the field are filled by five of the strongest Spellcaster monsters in existence. The two sides appear equally matched in power and ability.

Now it is Yuni's move that has rendered everyone speechless. Finally Brutus speaks up and exclaims, "This is the most amazing duel ever!"

Yuni then says, "I haven't even applied the effect of my Cyber-Tech Magician Girl yet. Not only does she gain 500 Attack Points for every other Cyber-Tech Magician monster I control (ATK: 4000), but she also increases the attack of all my other Cyber-Tech Magicians by 500 as well (Cyber-Tech Magician's ATK: 3000) (Temporax's ATK: 4000) (Discordon's ATK: 3800) (Aeon's ATK: 3000)! Now, I think it's time we wrap this duel up."

Yugi looks over Yuni's assembly of magicians and nods. "Give me your all."

Yuni nods back. "Cyber-Tech Magician Girl, attack the Dark Magician Girl with Advanced Cyber Burning Attack!"

Yugi declares, "Counterattack with Dark Burning Attack!"

"Temporax, the Cyber-Tech Magician of Time, attack the Dark Sage with Temporal Burst!"

"Fight back with Eternal Magic!"

"Discordon, the Cyber-Tech Magician of Chaos, destroy the Dark Magician of Chaos with Yin-Yang Stream!"

"Block it with Chaos Scepter Strike!"

"Aeon, the Cyber-Tech Magician Guardian of Yugoha, launch your Eternity's Force upon the Dark Paladin!"

In a mighty battle of the magicians, each monster raises its staff, and attacks of magical energy are sent everywhere. However, each and every one of the attacks made by Yuni's magicians win out in the end.

Yuni grins. "There is only one battle left to be had."

Yugi grins as well. "The ultimate battle."

Yuni begins, "Cyber-Tech Magician…"

Yugi then declares, "Dark Magician…"

At the same time they command, "Cyber Magic Attack!" and "Dark Magic Attack!" respectively. The two magicians raise their staves and charge for one final attack. Both monsters attack at the exact same time, with nearly the exact same attack. The two attacks collide.

The moment they do, Yugi and Yuni are pulled into a vision of the past. They see a group of people. It's Princes Yu-Gi-Oh and Seto, Cosmo, Celestia, and Thoth. They all stand in front of a temporal gate more massive than any seen before it. Cosmo says to everyone the else, "The time is at hand to perform the ritual. Ottiuk may have been sealed away, but he will never be entirely defeated. The only way to make sure that we can face him every time he rears his dark power is to fracture your souls and send them across time. Are you sure you wish to undergo this process my princes?"

Both Yu-Gi-Oh and Seto nod. Yu-Gi-Oh says, "We have fought for much too long, and over nothing of any real value."

Seto continues, "It is because of us that the galaxy was brought to the breaking point. Now we must repent by becoming its guardians."

Cosmo nods. "Alright, in that case, I will use the great spell of Another Hope to split your souls, and the temporal gate to send them across time. Are you ready?"

Yu-Gi-Oh and Seto nod. Then behind them two monsters appear, the golden magician and the rainbow-eyed dragon. Yu-Gi-Oh asks his magician, "Why have you appeared old friend?"

The magician answers, "For the same reason that I always appear. To come to your aid and protect you. I will undergo the spell to and have my soul split. We will be reincarnated together, so that I may always protect you."

The dragon roars, seemingly to say it intends to do the same.

Yu-Gi-Oh and Seto nod at their monsters. Yu-Gi-Oh says, "It will make things better to have my most trusted companion at my side." Yu-Gi-Oh turns to Cosmo and says, "Alright, we are now ready."

Cosmo nods. He begins to chant something in an indecipherable language. A light envelops Yu-Gi-Oh, Seto, and their monsters. After a few moments of this light there is a massive flash. Floating before Cosmo is now sixteen figures. Timaeus and the Atlantis Magician, Atem and the Millennium Magician, Yugi and the Dark Magician, Yuni and the Cyber-Tech Magician, Critias and the Legendary Dragon of the Reliquary, Priest Seto and the Legendary White Dragon, Kaiba and the Blue-Eyes White Dragon, and Seto and the Cosmic Plasma Dragon. Cosmo says to all of them, "Good luck, and may the day come where you restore Yugoha to its former glory. Long live Yugoha!"

All of the fractured spirits shout back, "Long live Yugoha!" They are all then pulled into the temporal gate and scattered across time.

The vision ends, and the two attacks of the Dark Magician and Cyber-Tech Magician collide. The Cyber Magic Attack proves stronger and continues to destroy the Dark Magician (Yugi's LP: 0).

And before Yugi can recover from the vision he just had, he is assaulted by another round of visions, this one a rapid-fire look at his life with Yuni. First it's when Yuni first realized who Yugi was, right after their first duel with Seto. Yuni asks, _Are you still there Yugi?_

Yugi asks,_ How did you know who I am?_

_It was pretty obvious after you said to "believe in the Heart of the Cards", also I figured I was seeing one of your memories earlier._

Then he sees their discussion after their victory against Apep. Yuni thinks, _I'm so glad this is all over with. Maybe now my life can go back to normal._

Yugi says,_ I wouldn't count on that. Think about what Apep said about the Grand Prophecy of Chaos._

_Yeah, I guess so._

_By the way Yuni, I'm proud of you._

_Why?_

_Back in that duel. You trusted in the Heart of the Cards, and because of it you turned that duel around._

_Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold the phone. The Heart of the Cards didn't do anything. That was the power of Chaos._

_Think of it however you want, but I assure you, you were only able to pull that off because you first believed in the Heart of the Cards._

_Whatever._

Then it's their reunion after Yuni's return from the Realm of Chaos. Yugi is in control of Yuni's body and glowing with the energy of the Millennium Items. He demands of Ruin, who is imprisoned in a Spellbinding Circle, "Now you will bring back Yuni!"

Ruin starts to chuckle under his breathe. He laughs harder and harder until he's laughing evilly.

Yugi demands, "What!? What is it!?"

Ruin stops laughing and says, "I never once told you that I could bring back Yuni!"

"What!?"

"Yeah, that's right. I can't. No one, save Lord Oblivion, has the power to return a mind banished to the Realm of Darkness. Besides, even if I had that power, it's been too long. After only a matter of days, the banished mind is stuck there permanently! Even Lord Oblivion couldn't return him! Yuni's gone forever!"

"What!? No!" Yugi looks down. A single tear falls from his eye.

On a platform above, Tori starts to cry, and Brutus says solemnly, "Yuni…no."

Yugi balls his hand into a fist. It violently starts to shake. Suddenly all of the energy flowing around Yugi ceases. It is all replaced by a red aura of energy. He yells, now with a monstrous voice overlaid with his, "You have caused me nothing but pain! You shall be destroyed! You will know the pain that you have put Yuni through! I banish your soul to the Shadow Realm!" Yugi holds his hand up towards Ruin.

Suddenly a voice in Yugi's head says_, No Yugi! Don't give into the Darkness! Now more than ever, we must protect the Balance of Chaos!_

Yugi drops his hand. The Spellbinding Circle around Ruin disappears. Ruin quickly disappears into the shadows. Tears start to pour from Yugi's eyes.

Brutus calls down, "What is it Yugi!?"

Yugi says meekly, "It's Yuni…he's back."

The next memory is of when he and Yuni first drew Another Hope in their duel with Oblivion. Yuni looks down solemnly. He thinks, _He's right. There isn't anything I can do. Even the powers of Chaos won't help me here. A Chaos Draw would only get me Chaos Relic, which only works on Chaos monsters. I don't have any right now. I don't know if there's a single card in my deck that can put a stop to his dragon. All hope is lost._

Yugi asserts, _Hope is not lost! Hope is never lost! There is always another hope!_

As Yugi is saying this, the top card of Yuni's deck glows and sparkles a brilliant gold. Yuni is speechless. _What…what is that? I'm not performing a Chaos Draw!_

_Draw Yuni, draw that card now!_

Yuni slowly places his hand over the card. He takes a deep breath. Suddenly, five other hands also place their hands over his deck, on top of his hand. The new hands are transparent and ghostly. Yuni looks up in surprise. Floating in a circle around him are the spirits of Brutus, Zenith, Apep, and Yuni's parents, Ben and Jade. He gasps. "What's happening!?"

Apep answers in an echo-filled voice, "We are with you Yuni, all the way."

Brutus says in a similar voice, "You'd be crazy to think that I'd miss this duel."

Zenith nods and also speaks similarly, "Same here."

Yuni looks over to his parents. He smiles, looking overjoyed. "Mom, Dad, it's great to see you again."

His parents smile back. Jade says, "We'll always be there for you Yuni. We'll always stand by your side."

Ben nods and agrees, "You'll never be alone. Now why don't you draw that card and kick Oblivion's butt for us!"

Yuni smiles even wider. He says, "Together!" He draws the glowing card, along with all of his friends and family. As he's drawing it, it's shown to be the card Another Hope.

Next up is their defeat of New Yugohan Emperor Talok with Seto and Ma'at. Yuni begins, "Now Empyrean, attack the Interdimensional Deity-"

Seto and Ma'at join in and they all declare, "Cosmic Origin Bang!" Empyrean, the Sovereign Genesis Lord raises its arms slightly and begins to glow intensely. The fabric of space in the center of Interdimensional Deity twists in on itself, creating a singularity. The monster then implodes into this singularity, and after a quick moment, explodes in a tremendous flash of light and energy, describable only as a second Big Bang. The resulting explosion wipes out all 26,000 of Talok's life points.

Talok falls to his knees. "No…this…isn't…possible…" His own Soul Engine's barrier begins to encroach on him.

Yuni declares, "Yugoha is no longer yours! Today New Yugoha falls!"

Finally, it's Yugi and Yuni's last conversation before Yugi left Yuni's mind. Just before they step into the temporal gate, Yuni asks, _How do you feel Yugi?_

_ Actually, now that you mention it, I feel nervous. _

Yuni grins. _There's nothing to feel nervous about, you're with me. We handle this together, just like we always do._

_ Right, there's nothing that can stop the two of us when we put our minds together. _They both laugh at his joke.

After a moment of silence, Yuni says, _You know what Yugi? At first I kind of resented having you stuck in my head. It was almost annoying, but since then I've realized how great it actually is. I'm glad that lightning bolt stuck just when it did._

_ So am I._

With that, the visions cease. Yugi looks to Yuni, and his eyes go wide, realizing only now everything that Yuni means to him. He simply says, "Yuni…"

Yuni grins. "Do you remember me now Yugi?"

Yugi nods. "Yes…I remember everything…and I can't begin to tell you how great it is to see you face-to-face." Yugi looks around to everyone else and declares, "Now what are we waiting for? Let's get back to Earth and defeat Ottiuk once and for all!"

Everyone cheers at once in agreement.


	27. Episode 134: Endgame Part 1

Episode 134: Endgame Part 1

_**Y.S.S. Yugoha's Legacy**_**, Interstellar Space**

Everyone has gathered in the now-crowded passenger compartment of the ship. Tori asks, "So this is really it? We're going back to Earth to fight Ottiuk now?"

Celestia, seeming to have mostly recovered from the loss of her father, but still seeming sad, responds, "Yes…the time has come."

Yuni asks, "So what exactly are we supposed to do when we get there?"

Kaiba asks, "Is it not obvious? We get there, and I challenge him to duel. I beat him, and he's taken care of."

Yugi objects, "No Kaiba, none of us can do this alone. That was the point of Yuni and Seto gathering all of us."

Atem agrees, "We need to stand together as one unit."

Priest Seto counters, "But we can't all duel him at once. It should be the strongest of us that duels him."

Seto then declares, "That would be me, so why don't you just sit back and let me handle this?"

Timaeus declares, "Thou hast forgotten that the key to defeating Ottiuk is Another Hope."

Critias scoffs, "Thou may need it, but I do not. The power of Socrates flows through my veins, and that is all I need."

Both Yuni and Seto turn to Celestia and ask, "What are we supposed to do?"

Celestia looks over them with dismay. She suddenly breaks down crying and sobs, "I don't know…I just don't know!"

Seto, Kaiba, Priest Seto, and Critias all instinctively move over to her to try to comfort her at once. However, Seto makes it to her first, and the others back off. He hugs her and asks, "What is the matter?"

She responds, "That I don't know what to do. It was my father who knew all of this, not me. I was never supposed to be the one guiding you into your final battle, it was him."

Yuni approaches her slowly and says, "Come on Celestia, I'm sure you know more than you're giving yourself credit for. If your father was here, what do you think he would say?"

Celestia sniffles and looks over everyone in the room. She then says, "He would say that the key to defeating Ottiuk is indeed Another Hope. We need to get it back at all costs."

Critias stands up again and declares, "Maiden Celestia, despite what I declared earlier, if thou dost claim that we need Another Hope, then I will trust thy judgment."

Priest Seto nods. "We'll get back that card, no matter what."

Yugi then asks, "And then what? What do we do once we have Another Hope?"

Celestia shakes her head in dismay. "I don't know…I really don't know."

Yuni then declares, "We'll get Another Hope, and then we'll figure it out from there. Does everyone agree?" Everyone nods. "Alright then, I guess this means duel on!"

* * *

The _Yugoha's Legacy _sets down in Domino City. The city appears grim and dead. No one is in sight, and there is no activity whatsoever. Everyone files down the ramp. Yuni looks around in disbelief and says, "I can't believe it, I've never seen this city so deprived of life before."

Brutus comments, "Well, there are no zombies of Darkness, which must mean he doesn't know we're here. That's a good thing at least."

Tori grimaces. "That…or he's expecting us and wants us to come to him…"

Yuni asks Celestia, "I've got one question though. It's been several days since he obtained Another Hope. We're assuming that he only launched his initial attack after gathering everything he needed to restore his power, so why hasn't he returned to full power yet?"

Celestia gulps. "I don't know…it could be because he has to wait for certain conditions to perform the ceremony. I suppose that it would be easiest for him to return to full power at a time filled with Darkness."

Yuni's eyes suddenly go wide. "Like a solar eclipse during the winter solstice."

Brutus asks, "What do you mean Yuni?"

"What I mean is that both are events that disrupt the Balance of Chaos. Remember how Sartorius and the Society of Light attacked the Society of Chaos on the day of the summer solstice? They did that because the summer solstice is the Lightest day of the year, naturally strengthening them. The opposite is true for the winter solstice. On top of that, during a solar eclipse, the Balance is thrown off as well, increasing the power of Darkness. This year's winter solstice is remarkable because it's the first time in hundreds of years that total solar eclipse will occur during it. Now, how long do we have?"

Tori looks horrified. "Yuni…your birthday is the day before the solstice…and that was yesterday…"

Yuni looks up to the sky. He realizes that at the very edge of the sun, the moon can be seen beginning to cover it. His eyes go wide. "Guys…we've got to figure out where Ottiuk is…now."

Celestia suggests, "The ritual he has to perform, it would be best done at the highest point available."

Tori adds, "Not to mention with the ego he's got to have, that place could serve as his castle."

Seto suddenly says with a combination of disbelief, anger, and disgust, "He wouldn't…"

* * *

Everyone is now standing at the bottom of Kaiba Corp. Tower, the largest building in Domino City. The top several floors are shrouded by a cloudy miasma of shadows. Seto says with disgust, "He did…"

Kaiba is looking up at the building, and he looks impressed. "I must say, as much as I hate a psychopath taking over Kaiba Corp. Tower, I'm impressed by how large it's grown."

Yugi says, "Alright, so we've found Ottiuk. What do we do now?"

Seto declares, "I'm telling you what I'm doing. I'm teleporting up to the top floor and taking my company back."

Kaiba steps forward. "It's my company too. It may have survived 5,000 years, but I put too much work into it to let this happen."

Priest Seto and Critias also step forward.

Atem objects, "No, we've been over this. We can't go charging into things. We need to get Another Hope back first."

Kaiba points out, "Seeing as Ottiuk holds Another Hope, and that he's up there, I say that's exactly what we're doing."

Timaeus shakes his head. "Nay, that is not what he means. Thou can't just go charging in, swords adrawn. Thou need a plan."

Seto shakes his head. "No, this is my company, my call. I'm going in." He begins to march towards the door.

Celestia grabs him by the arm. "Seto, you can't do this. Don't you see? He didn't just pick Kaiba Corp. as the location for his ritual because of its height, he also wanted to provoke you. You can't do this."

Seto shakes his head. "Trust me Celestia, I already knew that. Here's the thing though, it worked. I have to do this. Now if you really love me, you'll let me go."

This comment shocks Celestia. Her hand falls to her side. Seto nods a thanks to her and he walks into the building. Kaiba, Priest Seto, and Critias follow.

Yuni shouts, "No, stop!" He looks to Celestia. "Tell them they have to stop!"

Celestia shakes her head regretfully. "I can't…"

Yuni shouts in anger, "They're going to get themselves destroyed!"

Yugi approaches Yuni. "Calm down Yuni, getting angry at them won't help the situation at all. We have to come up with a plan, and fast. Maybe there's still a chance to save them."

Yuni nods. "Alright."

Tori says, "Well you'd better come up with a plan quickly." She points up to the sky. The Sun is nearly covered completely by the Moon. "We're running out of time, the total solar eclipse comes in only a few minutes."

Yuni says with despair, "I just don't know what we should do…"

Suddenly, in a booming and amplified voice from above, Ottiuk declares, "Incarnations of Prince Yu-Gi-Oh, I know you're down there!" Suddenly a dark purple bubble of energy surrounds them. It lifts them up towards the top of the tower. Once they're at the top, the bubble settles down on the roof. In front of them is Ottiuk, now with his hood down, no longer having any reason to hide. He laughs. "Look around, you have already failed. I have you in check." He beckons to the floor around them. Critias, Priest Seto, Kaiba, and Seto all lay unconscious and scattered about the roof.

Celestia cries out, "Seto!"

Yuni demands, "Let us go right now, Ottiuk!"

Ottiuk chuckles. "The time for the Ritual of Shadows is nearly at hand. Just sit back and watch the show." With that, the Moon completely covers the Sun and the sky becomes as dark as night. A shadowy aura begins to manifest around Ottiuk. He floats up into the air so that he is now directly in front of the Sun and Moon. He begins to pull items out of a bag and names them off as he does. "The Heart of Chaos, source of the power of the Society of Chaos, its origin being my Heart of Darkness, source of my power." He pulls out a crystal heart that swirls with black and white energy. It begins to float around him.

Yuni gasps upon seeing the Heart of Chaos that disappeared so long ago.

Ottiuk continues, "The Dark Drive, an interstellar engine that brought the last refugees of Yugoha to Earth so that they may start the colony known as Atlantis. It is fueled by my very soul." It is a small mechanical device with a dark aura. It too begins to float.

Tori now gasps, and remembers that this is the very artifact that was stolen from Professor Jones.

"The Crown of Kings, crown of Dartz, the King of Atlantis." He pulls the red gem out of it and rubs it, revealing that the gem is actually an iridescent green. "In it is the last Orichalcos Stone, a source of pure dark energy." He chuckles deviously, and lets the gem float.

Timaeus is shocked to hear that an Orichalcos Stone still exists

"This Siphon of Chaos. This grand artifact can change the Balance of Chaos within any object. Using it I remove the Light that infests the Heart of Chaos, returning it to a state of pure Darkness." The golden siphon sucks energy of pure Light from the heart, leaving it as an object of Darkness. "And last but not least, a sacrifice of 100,000 souls to restore my power." He pulls out a card, a Wicked Soul Engine of Tyria. He begins to laugh and declares, "Over the past year I have been collecting these items, and now they, combined with the power of your Another Hope spell, will restore me to my former glory!"

Yuni shakes his head in disbelief. "He's been manipulating everything behind the scenes. He stole the Heart of Darkness and the Dark Drive. He's the one who sent helped Konton acquire the Deck of Chaos, to serve as a distraction so he could take the Siphon of Chaos. He tried to use Cosmo as Oblivion to take the Crown of Kings. I even bet he brought New Yugoha here, just so he could take one of their Soul Engines."

Ottiuk laughs. "You're right, but you're also so wrong. I have done so much more than that. I have influenced the events of this planet since the very beginning. I created the Orichalcos Stones! The Great Leviathan was my servant! I was the writer of the Millennium Spellbook, and I provided its translation so that Aknadin could create the Millennium Items and release Zorc the Dark One! I convinced Pegasus that he needed to take a trip to Egypt to look for inspiration! I gave the Millennium Ring to Bakura's father, so that Bakura would acquire it! I used the Darkness of the Millennium Rod to infect Marik's mind with shadows! I have always been there, preparing for this very day!"

Everyone is shocked, left in a state of disbelief.

"Now, it is time for me to return to my true power!" He holds up into the air Another Hope.

Yuni gasps. He demands, "Give me that card back, now!"

Ottiuk laughs. "You are in no position to be making demands!" He then begins to chant something in an indecipherable language. Another Hope begins to glow. Then Ottiuk and each of his items glow as well. There is an immense flash of light, which then turns into a flash of shadows. All of those shadows are then absorbed into Ottiuk's body. He also absorbs each item. His body begins transform. His hair turns from white to pitch black, it also grows much longer and stands up, creating large spikes. His skins turns a shade of dark purple. His clothes rip off as some sort of black armor grows out of his skin. Out of his back, two skeletal wings grow. His fingers grow claws and his teeth grow sharp. His entire body becomes more muscular. The transformation completes and he roars. He then begins to laugh manically. He declares in a demonic voice, "Ottiuk, the Spirit of Darkness has returned!" He looks to everyone trapped in the bubble. "I'll be waiting for you. If you wish to challenge me, you may. Just know that it will be the last thing you ever do." He flies up into the sky, towards the eclipse-covered Sun.

As soon as he's gone, the bubble bursts. Everyone lands on the floor. Yuni realizes that a card is lying on the floor under where Ottiuk was just floating. He runs over to it, exclaiming, "He left Another Hope! We still have a chance!" He picks it up. The moment he does, his looks of hope turns to one of despair.

Celestia approaches him from behind. She sees what is wrong. The card has been drained of color, it is now black and white. She laments, "He used it all up. Another Hope has been drained of its power…it's useless to us now…"

Yuni asks, "What do we do now?"

Yugi steps forward and declares, "There's only one thing we can do at this point. We go up there, and we challenge Ottiuk to a duel!"

Atem nods. "I'm with you Yugi."

Timaeus raises his sword to the sky. "As am I!"

Yuni looks to them nods. "Then let's do it."

Seto calls out weakly, "Yuni…"

Yuni looks behind him to see Seto looking up at him. He runs over to him and asks, "What is it Seto?"

Seto pulls out a card and hands it to Yuni. "Take this…you'll need it…"

Yuni takes it and looks at it. It's Quantus, the Spatial Lord. Yuni is taken aback. He then nods. "Thank you Seto. Thank you so much."

"You can thank me by defeating that demon."

Critias is also handing a card to Timaeus. Once Timaeus takes it, he then declares, "For Hermos!" He has a flashback to when he, Critias, and Hermos channeled the power of the dragons within them through their armor, transforming it and increasing their power. He does this now, causing his armor to transform into a dragonoid design. Green energy flows around him.

Atem also has a flashback. He thinks back to when he, Yuni, and his High Priests where constructing the Dagger of Fate. Master Weneg pulls him aside and tells him, "My Pharaoh, there is one other spell I found in the Millennium Spellbook that you should know about. It could help you later."

The flashback ends and Atem declares, "Go, Millennium Armor!" A golden aura surrounds Atem, his Millennium Puzzle begins to vibrate, and the emblem of the Egyptian eye appears on his forehead. Suddenly the other Millennium Items all appear, floating around Atem. The Millennium Eye floats in front of his forehead, the Millennium Necklace appears around his neck, the Millennium Rod floats next to one arm and the Millennium Key floats next to the other, the Millennium Scale floats behind his back, level with his shoulders, and the Millennium Ring floats below his puzzle, right in front of his stomach. There is another flash of golden light, and suddenly all of these items have combined together to form a golden armor around Atem. Each Millennium Item can still be made out, but has been integrated into the armor in the place where it floated.

Yugi declares, "My friends may not be with me in person, but they are here in spirit!" He holds his hand up, and his mark of friendship manifests itself in a glowing light on the back of his palm. "Activate Unity Armor! In yet another flash of light, Yugi merges with the dragon spirits of his friends.

Finally Yuni declares, "Let's do this, Chaos-Tech Armor!" Yuni floats into the air and pieces of machinery begin to fly at him from all around the city. Each one fits together like a puzzle piece and forms and armor around Yuni. Yuni then embraces the power of Chaos. His yin-yang mark begins to glow, he becomes shrouded in a black and white aura, and his eyes change color, so that one is purple and the other gold. His armor of technology is then infused with the power of Chaos as well. The machinery changes color to gold, purple, black, and white. A golden circuit board pattern crisscrosses the armor.

All four incarnations of Yu-Gi-Oh declare at once, "Duel on!" With the power of their armors, they fly up after Ottiuk.

Tori, Brutus, and Celestia can do nothing but watch in awe.

Ottiuk is floating in Earth orbit. Straight behind him is the still mostly-eclipsed Sun. Yuni, Yugi, Atem, and Timaeus come flying into sight. Ottiuk grins and chuckles. "So you came all the way up here. You must be raring for a fight."

All four declare at once, "Ottiuk, we challenge you to a duel!"

Ottiuk nods. "I accept. I shall duel all four of you at once!" He activates a Duel Gauntlet that has grown right out of his armor.

The four activate their dueling devices. Yuni's Duel Gauntlet has become integrated with his armor, and as thus has changed to match the color of the rest of it. Yugi's Duel Disk is now golden and bears a resemblance to his Unity Armor, but also looks somewhat like a Capsule Launcher. Atem's DiaDhank has grown larger, and now looks more like an Ancient Egyptian version of a Duel Disk, it even has cards in it. Timaeus' armor has sprouted a Duel Disk that looks like the wing of a dragon. It too has a deck of cards now.

Yuni declares, "I will go first!" He holds his arm up to the stars and declares, "Go, Chaos Draw!" and he starts the duel off with a Chaos Draw. "I activate Cyber Summon in order to Special Summon Cyber-Tech Clone (Dark/Level 2/Spellcaster/Effect/ATK 600/DEF 200)! When he's Special Summoned, the Cyber-Tech Clone allows me to discard one card from my hand in order to summon a batch of clones to the field!" Two more Cyber-Tech Clones appear. "Then I activate Time Skip, sending this duel a turn into future! Now that I have three monsters who are on the field for their second turn, I can tribute them all in order to summon the great Lord of Yugoha! I summon Chronos, the Temporal Lord (Divine/Level 10/Divine-Beast/Effect/ATK X000/DEF X000)!" From a vortex of time, Chronos appears. It sounds a mighty roar. "Then I activate Chaos Relic: Balancing Force of Atar! Now by banishing the Dark Attribute Cyber-Tech Clone and Light Attribute Cyber-Tech Illumi-Dragon I discarded earlier, I can summon two monsters from my deck with the same Type, Attribute, and Level as a monster I control! Thanks to Seto, I summon Quantus, the Spatial Lord (Divine/Level 10/Divine-Beast/Effect/ATK 4000/DEF 4000)!" Quantus appears from a spatial vortex. But then another, even larger vortex opens up. Yuni chants, "God of Gods, Lord of Lords, I pray to thee! Descend from your place amongst the stars and come to me! Serve Yugoha, as it serves you! See that this match is through! Come to me, Versal, the Reality Lord (Divine/Level 10/Divine-Beast/Effect/ATK ? ? ? ?/DEF ? ? ? ?)!" And Versal appears to complete the trio.

Ottiuk chuckles, seemingly amused. "All three Yugohan Lords. What a treat this is indeed. I haven't had the chance to face them in eons!"

"You won't be amused for long! You may have used up all of the power of Another Hope, but I can sense that its residual energy still exists, permeating the very space around us! Now Yugohan Lords, absorb that energy!" All three gods begin to glow. Yuni chants, "Gods of Time, Space, and Reality, form into your totality! Three thirds combine into a whole, reform the Original Soul! Reveal your greater scope, and form Another Hope!" The three gods are pulled into a spatial distortion. The distortion twists and turns on itself, and then grows several times larger. "Come forth, Empyrean, the Sovereign Genesis Lord (Divine/Level 12/Creator God/Effect/ATK ∞/DEF ∞)!" Empyrean emerges from the distortion. Wherever it floats, it distorts the fabric of space around it. Yuni simply states, "Now you should be afraid (Yuni's hand: 1)." Ottiuk doesn't seem afraid.

Yugi declares, "Next it's my turn! From my hand I combine together Alpha, Beta, and Gamma the Magnet Warriors in order to summon Valkyrion, the Magna Warrior (Earth/Level 8/Rock/Effect/ATK 3500/DEF 3850)! I then use Valkyrion's effect and tribute it in order to summon my three Magnet Knights back from the grave! Return, Alpha (Earth/Level 4/Rock/Normal/ATK 1400/DEF 1700), Beta (Earth/Level 4/Rock/Normal/ATK 1700/DEF 1600), and Gamma (Earth/Level 4/Rock/Normal/ATK 1500/DEF 1800)! I tribute them in order to summon Slifer the Sky Dragon (Divine/Level 10/Divine-Beast/Effect/ATK X000/DEF X000)*!" Even in the vacuum of space, thunderclouds appear to herald this monster's coming. Lightning strikes and thunder claps, Slifer descends from the clouds. "You take it from there, Pharaoh (Yugi's hand: 1)!"

Atem draws. "Gladly Yugi! I summon the Millennium Servant Apis (Light/Level 4/Beast-Warrior/Effect/ATK 1000/DEF 1000)!" Atem summons a monster that appears to be half-man, half-bull. It is adorned in Egyptian-themed robes. "When I summon the Millennium Servant Apis, I may reveal a Divine monster from my hand in order to summon two more of him from my deck!" He reveals that Obelisk the Tormentor is in his hand. Two more man-bulls appear. "Also, the turn I activate this effect, I get an extra summon! I tribute all three of my Millennium Servants in order to summon Obelisk the Tormentor (Divine/Level 10/Divine-Beast/Effect/ATK 4000/DEF 4000)*!" Despite them floating in space, everything and everyone seems to shake, as if from an earthquake. Obelisk appears amidst the chaos. "Then I activate the spell Millennium Sacrifice! This spell summons three Millennium Servant Tokens (Light/Level 1/Zombie/Token/ATK 0/DEF 0) to my field!" Three monsters appear on Atem's field, they are Egyptian mummies wearing masks. "And then I'll play yet another spell, Millennium Ritual! This card allows me to summon yet another time this turn! I tribute the three Millennium Servant Tokens!" He chants, "Great beast of the sky, please hear my cry. Transform thyself from orb of light and bring me victory in this fight. Envelop the desert with your glow and cast your rage upon my foe. Unlock your powers deep within so that together we may win. Appear in this Shadow Game as I call your name, Winged Dragon of Ra (Divine/Level 10/Divine-Beast/Effect/ATK ? ? ? ?/DEF ? ? ? ?)*!" In a beam of celestial light, the Sphere Form of Ra descends onto the field. It then transforms, taking its true form. "Hear me mighty Gods of Egypt, as to you I speak my true name, I am Atem!" Upon hearing his name spoken, the three Egyptian Gods each glow their respective color, and are then transformed into pure energy. They combine together. "I summon The Creator God of Light, Horakhty (Divine/Level 12/Creator God/Effect/ATK ∞/DEF ∞)*!" And Horakhty is formed. "Now Timaeus (Atem's hand: 1)!"

Timaeus draws and declares, "Have at thee! I summon the Tamer of Atlantis (Earth/Level 4/Warrior/Effect/ATK 800/DEF 1900)! Then by tributing it and paying 1000 life points (Timaeus' LP: 3000) I activate Legend of Heart*! Thou may hast already defeated Hermos and Critias, but their spirits remain with me! I summon Legendary Knight Hermos (Light/Level 8/Warrior/Effect/ATK 2800/DEF 1800), Legendary Knight Critias (Light/Level 8/Warrior/Effect/ATK 2800/DEF 1800), and my very own soul, Legendary Knight Timaeus (Light/Level 8/Warrior/Effect/ATK 2800/DEF 1800)!" Critias and Hermos, as well as a doppelganger of Timaeus appear on the field.

Critias declares, "Thou shalt not defeat me a second time!"

Hermos adds, "Nay, thou shalt not defeat _us_ a second time!"

Timaeus then shouts, "Now, three Legendary Knights combine into one!" Critias and Hermos are transformed into light and absorbed through Legendary Knight Timaeus' sword. "I summon the Knight of Destiny (Light/Level 12/Warrior/Fusion/ATK ∞/DEF ∞)*!"

Yuni then declares, "Face it Ottiuk, this duel has only just begun, and you're already beaten! You are up against the three strongest monsters to ever exist!"

Ottiuk is completely unfazed. In fact he seems quite the opposite as he begins to laugh. "You think this is over!? This is far from over! In fact, it's the exact opposite!" He draws. "By summoning three monsters with infinite attack, you have only played right into my hands! You have allowed me to summon what is truly _the_ strongest monster to ever exist! I activate Primeval Ritual of Annihilation!" When he activates the card, a giant vortex opens up on his side of the field. Yuni, Yugi, Atem, and Timaeus' monsters may be powerful, but they are pulled right into this vortex and swallowed by it. When they are, shadows erupt from it, covering the field. A massive gale sweeps the field, and a loud and horrible noise can be heard.

Yuni, Yugi, Atem, and Timaeus are in absolute shock. Yuni asks in horror, "How…how is this possible…? What are you!?"

* * *

_*Anime Versions of Real Cards, Cards Played Here may not Match the Real Ones in Effect or Stats_


	28. Episode 135: Endgame Part 2

Episode 135: Endgame Part 2

**Earth Orbit**

Ottiuk is laughing diabolically, while Yuni, Yugi, Atem, and Timaeus look at him with absolute shock and horror. Yuni demands, "What are you!?"

Ottiuk replies, "I am an evil more pervasive and primordial than you could ever imagine. I am movement in the corner of your eye. I am what goes bump in the night. I am the shadow lurking around the corner. I am the original nightmare!" He looks to the vortex that swallowed the three ultimate monsters. "And now I summon the stuff of those nightmares! The Primeval Ritual of Annihilation allows me to activate the most powerful card to ever exist! I activate the Spell Card, Doombringer Hydra! When this card is activated, I automatically summon from my deck the Doombringer Hydra Head (Dark/Level 8/Dragon/Effect/ATK 3000/DEF/0)!" The vortex explodes. Out of it, a mass of shadows appear. The mass of shadows begins to take form. They then coalesce into the shape of a fiendish dragon, so large that it eclipses the now mostly revealed Sun behind it. It has a long, serpentine neck, leading up to demonic dragon head.

The moment it appears, all four incarnations of Yu-Gi-Oh are pulled into a vision of their shared past. Prince Yu-Gi-Oh, as a young child, is sitting in a room with the Yugohan Emperor, his father. The emperor is saying, "According to the darkest prophecies of Yugoha, the Doombringer Hydra will appear as the harbinger of the end of the universe itself. It is a creature that is indestructible and serves no purpose but revert the universe back to a state of pure Darkness."

Young Yu-Gi-Oh cowers in fear. "But…Father, that's only just a story…right?"

"That depends."

"Depends on what?"

"It depends on how much faith you put in the Prophecies of Yugoha." Yu-Gi-Oh gulps nervously.

The vision ends, and all four gulp just as Yu-Gi-Oh did.

Ottiuk declares, "Now incarnations of Yu-Gi-Oh, are you prepared to do battle with the worst nightmare of Yugoha itself!?" He laughs. "Now, since I can't attack the turn I activate Doombringer Hydra, let's see how you four can fare against it (Ottiuk's hand: 5)."

* * *

**Kaiba Corp. Tower Roof**

Even though the solar eclipse has mostly ended, suddenly the sky goes dark. Celestia is tending to the once again unconscious Seto. Tori, Brutus, and Celestia look up to the sky. The silhouette of Ottiuk's dragon can be seen obscuring the sun. Brutus asks, "What is it…?"

Celestia looks with horror. She says, "A nightmare…come to life…"

Seto wakes up and asks begrudgingly, "Who turned out the Sun?"

Celestia looks down to him. "Seto, you're alright!"

He struggles to get up. Celestia tries to help him, but he refuses. Once up, he answers, "Yeah, I'm fine."

Critias then declares, "As am I Maiden Celestia." All three other Setos are getting up too.

Kaiba looks up to the sky and comments, "So Yugi and his lookalikes are already battling Ottiuk."

Celestia nods. "They wanted your help, but you couldn't fight in the state you were in."

Priest Seto declares, "I am ready for a fight now."

Seto asks, "Is there anything at all that we could do to stop Ottiuk?"

Celestia looks out, over the skyline of the city. "Actually…there is." She points across the city to the Ministry of Dueling building. From a large radio antenna on its roof, a shadowy beam is being transmitted into the sky. "Ottiuk used the Central Duel Computer of the Ministry of Dueling and its satellite broadcast worldwide to broadcast his own influence. That is how he has taken this planet hostage. If we cut him off from that, we might just be able to weaken him enough to help out Yuni and the others."

Critias raises his sword and points it to the Ministry of Dueling. He declares, "Then onward! Onward to stop Ottiuk and avenge our fallen comrades!"

* * *

Yuni gets over his horror and forces himself to draw. More for self-reassurance than anything else, he declares, "Nightmare or not, your Doombringer Hydra is still a monster, and any monster can be destroyed! I summon Cyber-Tech Prime (Light/Level 1/Machine/Effect/ATK 0/DEF 0)! By tributing it, I can Special Summon the Cyber-Tech Enforcer (Dark/Level 8/Warrior/Effect/ATK 2600/DEF 2000)! When the Cyber-Tech Enforcer attacks a monster with more attack than it, it powers itself up by 1000! Go, Cyber Bludgeon!" The monster raises its massive energy hammer and leaps at the head of the hydra. The hammer grows larger (ATK: 3600). It slams the hammer down, destroying the head of the hydra (Ottiuk's LP: 15400). "So much for your invincible nightmare!"

Ottiuk seems to find this statement funny. He begins to laugh. Atem demands, "Why are you laughing!?"

Ottiuk responds, "You must be joking, thinking it's that easy! Come on, even your backwater world has a watered-down legend of the Doombringer Hydra! You must know it isn't that simple!"

Yugi's eyes go wide with realization. "Cut off one head…two more grow back…"

Timaeus asks, "What are thou talking about?"

Yuni realizes what he means. "The legend of the hydra, apparently descended from the Yugohan Prophecy of the Doombringer Hydra. If you destroy one of its head, two more will grow to take its place."

Ottiuk declares, "And you've finally got it! I summon two more Doombringer Hydra Heads from my deck!" Where the one head once stood, two have now appeared. They both roar in tandem.

All Yuni can manage to say is, "I end my turn… (Yuni's hand: 0)" His Enforcer returns to its original strength as well (ATK: 2600).

Yugi doesn't let this affect him. He draws a card confidently and declares, "I think we could all use a couple more cards in our hands! I activate Cards of Sanctity! Now we all draw until we have six cards in our hands!" Everyone draws. "There, that's better. Now, your monster may be powerful, but it's still a dragon, and I've got just the card to slay it! I activate Symbol of the Dragon Destroyer! Since you control a Dragon-Type monster, I can Special Summon Buster Blader (Earth/Level 7/Warrior/Effect/ATK 2600/DEF 2300)!" Yugi's slayer of dragon appears on the field and draws his Destruction Sword. "Between your field and grave, there are three Dragon-Type monsters, meaning my Buster Blader gains 1500 Attack Points (ATK: 4100)! Your Hydra may have the power to grow more heads, but according to my count, you've already used up all three of your hydra heads allowed in a deck. You've got nothing to replace a destroyed head with! Go Buster Blader, Dragon Sword Attack!" Buster Blader leaps up into the air and slashes its blade down on one of the hydra heads, destroying it (Ottiuk's LP: 14300). Ottiuk doesn't seem to care. Yugi declares, "It would appear I found your weakness."

Ottiuk slowly chuckles and shakes his head. "Do you really believe that I would only have three Hydra Heads in my deck? There are more than just the Doombringer Hydra Head. I summon the Hydra Head of Inundation (Water/Level 6/Dragon/Effect/ATK 2100/DEF 0) and Hydra Head of Eradication (Dark/Level 6/Dragon/Effect/ATK 2400/DEF 0)!" Two new heads appear on the hydra body. One is colored blue, and looks more like the head of a sea serpent than a dragon. The other looks to be made out of pure shadows and has glowing red eyes. Yugi is now horrified again. Ottiuk then declares, "When my various Hydra Head monsters are summoned, they each have a different effect that activates! The Hydra Head of Inundation grants me back 1000 life points (Ottiuk's LP: 15300) and the Hydra Head of Eradication destroys a monster on the field, such as your pesky Buster Blader!" The shadowy head unleashes a beam of pure darkness, destroying Buster Blader. Ottiuk laughs with pleasure.

Yugi shakes his head in disbelief (Yugi's hand: 4).

Atem draws and declares, "Do not despair Yugi, this duel is far from over!" He takes a good look at Ottiuk's behemoth hydra. "Yugi's attempt to exploit a weakness may have failed, but he had the right idea. I summon the Millennium Servant Ptah (Light/Level 4/Warrior/Effect/ATK 1600/DEF 1100)!" He summons a monster wearing a brilliant gold armor inscribed with hieroglyphics. "When I summon this monster, his creative magic summons one more Millennium monster from my hand, such as the Millennium Seer (Light/Level 5/Psychic/Effect/ATK 2200/DEF 2100)." And he summons the wielder of the Millennium Eye. "Then the Millennium Servant Ptah equips himself onto the Millennium Seer, becoming its armor!" The Millennium Servant monster is absorbed into its own armor, and then that armor is equipped onto the Millennium Seer. "Which means I can activate the other effect of Ptah! Once per turn I can destroy one monster on the field! So instead of cutting off a head, let's make one disappear!" The Millennium Seer floats into the air and then unleashes a beam of light at the las remaining Doombringer Hydra Head. It explodes.

Ottiuk asks, "Did you really think that such and obvious trick would be the answer?" He laughs. "You're not as keen as you used to be Yu-Gi-Oh. I summon the Hydra Head of Immolation (Fire/Level 6/Dragon/Effect/ATK 2300/DEF 0) and Hydra Head of Creation (Light/Level 6/Dragon/Effect/ATK 2400/DEF 0)!" Two more heads replaced the just lost head. One has fire-red scales, and a mane of fire burning on the top of its head. The other has sparkling scales of gold, and is almost too blindingly bright to look at. "When the Hydra Head of Immolation is summoned, I get to inflict 1000 points of damage to my opponent."

Atem looks at him and dares, "Go ahead, I'm not scared."

Ottiuk laughs. "Who said you were my target? I think I'll aim this attack at little Yugi."

Atem's eyes go wide. "Yugi!"

It's too late, the blazing hydra head has unleashed its breath of fire on Yugi. Yugi cries out in pain. (Yugi's LP: 3000).

Atem looks him, "I'm sorry Yugi, that was my fault, I should have-"

Yugi, despite the pain he's in, looks to Atem and declares, "No, you did what you had to. Don't blame yourself." Atem nods in understanding.

Ottiuk then says, "And we haven't even gotten to my favorite head yet. When I summon the Hydra Head of Creation, I get to summon yet another Hydra Head monster from my graveyard. So welcome back the Doombringer Hydra Head!" A fifth head grows out of the body of the hydra.

Atem, still resentful about harming Yugi, declares, "I set a card and end my turn (Atem's hand: 4)."

Timaeus draws. "Thy beast is mighty, but my deck is mightier! And there's still one weakness we have yet to address! I summon the Archer of Atlantis (Earth/Level 4/Warrior/Effect/ATK 1700/DEF 1200)!" A monster holding a bow, with a quiver of arrows on its back, and wearing blue armor with gold trim appears in front of Timaeus. "When I summon this monster, it can use its archery skills to destroy a Spell or Trap Card on the field. Why attack the heads when thou can attack the body? Go Archer of Atlantis, destroy the Doombringer Hydra spell!" The monster shoots an arrow.

Yuni exclaims, "That's perfect! Without the body, the heads won't be able to stay on the field, and the body is a Spell Card!"

Ottiuk shakes his head in disapproval. "Tsk, tsk, tsk. You are too hopeful for your own good Yu-Gi-Oh, which always was your greatest weakness." The arrow hits the body of the hydra, but it just bounces off, doing absolutely nothing. "Did you really think that a card that can only be activated by tributing three monsters of infinite strength could be removed from the field by such mundane methods?"

Timaeus grimaces. "It was worth the try. I shalt not cease there! Since I just summoned a Warrior-Type Atlantis monster, I can Special Summon the Winged Steed of Atlantis (Wind/Level 4/Winged-Beast/Effect/ATK 1400/DEF 900)!" A large, majestic, blue bird with a golden saddle soars down onto the field. "When I summon the Winged Steed of Atlantis, it adds a Polymerization from my deck to my hand, which I will immediately activate in order to fuse my two monsters! I summon the Ballistic Guardian of Atlantis (Wind/Level 7/Warrior/Fusion/ATK 2600/DEF 1800)!" The new monster is a fiercer version of both monsters, with the archer now riding the bird. The archer has traded in his bow and arrows for two crossbows. "My mighty Guardian of Atlantis gains 300 points of attack for every monster thou control (ATK: 4100)! Let's also take note of the fact that thou already has five monsters on thy field. If I were to destroy one of your Hydra Heads, none could take its place because there is no room on thy field for two more heads to grow! Go Ballistic Guardian of Atlantis, destroy the Doombringer Hydra Head!" The monster soars towards Ottiuk's unleashing a volley of arrows at a head of the hydra, and it's destroyed (Ottiuk's LP 14200).

But then two heads grow in its place. One is an avian-like head, covered in green feathers instead of scales, the other is a head made out of various gemstones. Everyone is shocked. Yuni demands, "How is that possible!? You have six monsters on your field!"

Ottiuk chuckles, apparently enjoying himself. "Yes, I do have six monsters! As long as I control Doombringer Hydra, there is no limit to the number of Hydra Heads I can control! So that is why I now possess the Hydra Head of Aeration (Wind/Level 6/Dragon/Effect/ATK 2200/DEF 0) and the Hydra Head of Crystallization (Earth/Level 6/Dragon/Effect/ATK 0/DEF 2900)." The Head of Crystallization takes the more defense posture of a monster in Defense Mode. "When the Hydra Head of Aeration is summoned, it blows back a monster on the field to the hand. Say goodbye to your Ballistic Guardian of Atlantis!" The avian head creates a massive whirlwind that blows Timaeus' monster away. "As for my Hydra Head of Crystallization, it actually has quite a special effect, which activates later instead of now.

* * *

**The Ministry of Dueling, First Floor**

The Battle of the Ministry of Dueling has begun. The incarnations of Prince Seto are leading the charge. Critias fights hordes of shadow zombies using the side of his sword as blunt edge weapon, as not to lethally harm any innocents. Priest Seto casts spells using his Millennium Rod, driving back any zombie that comes his way. Kaiba and Seto both utilize their greatest skill, dueling, to take on hordes of zombies at a time, defeating them all in a single turn.

Seto is now locked in a duel with five shadow zombies. They all control a Regenerating Mummy (Dark/Level/4/Zombie/Effect/ATK 1800/DEF 1500). Seto controls his Cosmic Plasma Dragon (Light/Level 8/Dragon/Effect/ATK 3000/DEF 2500). He seems to have just activated a Spell Card, as he explains, "Now you all take damage equal to the attack of my dragon's level time 500!" This drops all five zombies' life points to zero. The fall unconscious as soon as this happens. Seto looks to the others, he declares, "We're halfway there! We just need to make it to the teleporter, then we can get to the Central Duel Computer!"

Kaiba, dueling against six zombies, finishes his move, "Then I activate Ring of Destruction and protect myself with the Ring of Defense!" The zombies all lose. He then looks to Seto and declares, "That shouldn't be a problem at all."

A zombie attempts to attack Kaiba from behind. Critias leaps in and whacks it with his sword, causing it to fall to the ground. "This battle shalt be won!"

Priest Seto swipes his Millennium Rod, creating a wave of light that knocks back several zombies. "Ottiuk shall not prevail today!"

Celestia, Tori, and Brutus are simply watching at the front door. Celestia swoons at the sight of the four Setos in action.

Brutus steps forward. "Alright, enough of this, I'm getting in there."

Tori grabs him by the shirt and stops him. She suggests, "It might be best if you just left this to the professionals."

* * *

Timaeus sets a facedown card and declares, "We shalt not yield (Timaeus' hand: 4)!"

Ottiuk swipes a card off the top of his deck. "Can you not see that Doombringer Hydra is the ultimate engine of destruction!?" He then grins slyly. "If you had the memories of Yu-Gi-Oh, you would know that all hope is lost. Maybe you'll truly realize the disparity of your situation when I destroy one of you." He looks across the line of Yu-Gi-Oh incarnations. He settles on Yugi. "You look like an easy enough target. Hydra Head of Eradication, attack Yugi directly! Hydra Flames of Darkness!"

Yugi's eyes widen as he realizes he has nothing to protect himself with. Yuni shouts out, Yugi, no!"

Atem declares, "You will not harm Yugi! I activate my Trap Card, Millennium Seal! At the cost of 1000 of my own life points, this card prevents you from attacking this turn and protects Yugi (Atem's LP: 3000)."

The Hydra Head is about to attack, but a barrier of hieroglyphics blocks it from doing so. Yugi looks to Atem. "Thanks Pharaoh."

Atem grins. "You would do the same for me."

Yugi looks to Ottiuk and declares, "And that's why we're going to win this battle! You rely on fear and shadows! We have true friendship on our side!"

Ottiuk chuckles. "Is Yugi Muto really giving me one of his famous friendship speeches? I should be honored. Think what you'd like, but it will not change the outcome of this duel." Ottiuk discards a card to account for his hand being too large (Ottiuk's hand: 6).

Yuni draws a card and declares, "Here comes round three! Since you control monsters and I don't, I can special summon Cyber-Tech Dragon Tamer (Fire/Level 7/Warrior/Effect/ATK 2300/DEF 2100)." A fierce warrior wearing cybernetic armor and carrying a sword of flames appears on the field. "And when this mighty knight is summoned, he brings along a friend, Special Summoning the Cyber-Tech Dragoon (Fire/Level 6/Dragon/Effect/ATK 2000/DEF 1700)! And when the Cyber-Tech Dragoon is Special Summoned, it adds a Polymerization from my deck to my hand, which I will activate in order to fuse my monsters! I summon Cyber-Tech Dragoon Master (Fire/Level 8/Dragon/Fusion/ATK 3100/DEF 2300)!" He looks to Yugi and tells him, "I may have summoned many monsters that use Cyber-Tech Dragoon as a Fusion Material, but this is the true Cyber-Tech Dragoon Fusion, and it has the power to back that claim up!"

Yugi asks, "What can it do?"

Yuni looks to the Doombringer Hydra and its many heads. "We can't duel in fear of this beast. The only way we can win is to attack, so I say we make the most of those attacks! Cyber-Tech Dragoon Master, destroy the Hydra Head of Inundation!" The merged monster takes flights and dives towards the head of water. "When my Cyber-Tech Dragoon Master destroys a monster by battle, you take damage equal to its attack!"

Ottiuk counters, "Sorry to rain on your parade, but it's time that I use that special effect of my Hydra Head of Crystallization. It makes it so that it's the only Hydra Head monster you can attack." The crystal head moves itself, blocking the path of Yuni's monster. The monster destroys it instead. "And since that head had no Attack Points and was in Defense Mode, I won't be taking any damage."

Yuni grunts. He then says, "You will take some, because my monster can also inflict piercing damage (Ottiuk's LP: 14100)."

"Oh no, 100 points of damage. Whatever will I do? I know, I'll summon another Hydra Head of Inundation and gain 1000 life points back (Ottiuk's LP: 15100). I'll also summon another Hydra Head of Immolation to show you what real damage feels like." The two Hydra Heads grow where the one was destroyed. A breath of fire from the Head of Immolation burns Yuni (Yuni's LP: 3000). He cries out in pain.

Yuni reluctantly sets two cards and ends his turn without a word (Yuni's hand: 3).

Yugi draws a card with determination. "It may not have worked out, but Yuni had the right idea. We have to push with all we've got, or we're just going to crumble under the pressure. I activate Bluff! This spell summons the Jack's Knight from my hand (Light/Level 5/Warrior/Normal/ATK 1900/DEF 1000). Then I tribute it in order to activate Five Star Twilight! In turn, this card summons the Kuriboh Brothers! Say hello to Kuriboh (Dark/Level 1/Fiend/Effect/ATK 300/DEF 200), Kuribah (Dark/Level 1/Fiend/Effect/ATK 300/DEF 200), Kuribee (Dark/Level 1/Fiend/Effect/ATK 300/DEF 200), Kuribeh (Dark/Level 1/Fiend/Effect/ATK 300/DEF 200), and Kuriboo (Dark/Level 1/Fiend/Effect/ATK 300/DEF 200)!" The five different colored Kuribohs appear in front of Yugi.

Atem grins. "Now Ottiuk's in trouble."

Ottiuk can't help himself from bursting out in laughter. "I know that Yu-Gi-Oh has always put faith in the weak, but this is a whole new low! Putting faith in these five fur balls!? Ha!"

Yugi grins with confidence. "These five fur balls are about to show you their true power."

Yuni chimes in, "But first they're going to need some help! I activate my facedown card, Pride of Kuriboh! By discarding my Kuriborg, I can increase the attack of all level one monsters on the field by 1000 (All Kuriboh Brothers ATK: 1300)!"

Ottiuk asks, "So they're now slightly stronger fur balls. I see nothing to challenge me."

Yugi then continues, "That's because they haven't unlocked their true potential yet! Just as friendship grants me power, so does it for my monsters. Kuriboh Brothers, merge together and form Kuribabylon (Dark/Level 5/Fiend/Effect/ATK ?/DEF 1000)!" The five different Kuribohs combine into the giant, fierce, and horned Kuriboh, Kuribabylon. "Kuribabylon's attack is equal to the attack of each Kuriboh brother added up! That's 1300 times five (ATK: 6500)! Do you see the true strength of my fur balls now? Kuribabylon, attack the Hydra Head of Aeration with Horn of Chaos!" The massive fur ball leaps up and pierces the head with its horn (Ottiuk's LP: 10800).

Ottiuk, apparently amused, chuckles. "How odd it is to see such a weak monster inflict such serious damage. Fortunately for me, it does not matter. Unfortunately for your monster, it has gotten too strong for its own good. I'll have to destroy it now. I summon the Hydra Head of Eradication and another Hydra Head of Aeration." The avian head and the head of shadows appear. "I think I'll use the effect of the Hydra Head of Aeration on your Kuribabylon, as it's worthless in your hand. And I'll use the effect of Hydra Head of Eradication on the Pharaoh Atem's Millennium Seer." Kuribabylon is blown off the field, but when a beam of shadows is fired at Atem's monster, only its armor is destroyed.

Atem explains, "The final effect of the Millennium Servant Ptah allows it to sacrifice itself to keep my Millennium Seer on the field!"

Yugi looks to Atem. "Great job Pharaoh, we need every monster we can get." Atem nods in agreement (Yugi's hand: 3).

Atem draws his card now. "I summon the Millennium Servant Wadjet (Light/Level 2/Reptile/Effect/ATK 900/DEF 1200)." The monster is a large cobra with golden hieroglyphics inscribed on its scales. "Since I controlled another Millennium monster when summoning the Millennium Servant Wadjet, I may summon another Millennium monster from my hand, like the Millennium Pharaoh (Light/Level 6/Warrior/Effect/ATK 2400/DEF 1700), which, when summoned, allows me to draw a card for every Millennium monster I control." Atem draws three cards. "And now I can activate the Spell Card Millennium Resurrection! This card returns one Divine monster from my grave to my hand, and grants me an extra Normal Summon to summon it! I offer my three monsters up as tribute in order to once again summon the Winged Dragon of Ra (Divine/Level 10/Divine-Beast/Effect/ATK ? ? ? ?/DEF ? ? ? ?)!" Rising from the ashes, the Winged Dragon of Ra reappears in its Phoenix Form, before transforming back to normal (ATK: 5500). While it is a massive monster, its size is nothing compared to the Doombringer Hydra's. "Now winged Dragon of Ra, destroy the Hydra Head of Eradication, Blaze Cannon!" The Winged Dragon of Ra unleashes a firestorm upon the hydra head, completely destroying it (Ottiuk's LP: 7700).

Ottiuk chuckles. "This will be fun. I'll summon the Hydra Head of Creation and the Hydra Head of Eradication. With the Head of Creation I'll revive the Doombringer Hydra Head once more, and with the Head of Eradication, I'll destroy the Winged Dragon of Ra."

Everyone gasps. Yugi demands, "How is that possible!?"

Yuni says, "You're bluffing."

Atem declares, "The Winged Dragon of Ra is invincible to card effects."

Ottiuk explains, "Just as Ra can destroy Slifer or Obelisk because he ranks higher in the Hierarchy of Gods, so too can my Hydra destroy Ra, for the Doombringer Hydra ranks as an equal to Horakhty, which is above even Ra. Do it now Hydra Head of Eradication!" The Hydra Head unleashes its beam of shadows, completely destroying Ra.

Atem looks at Ottiuk and declares, "You have angered the Gods of Egypt not once, but twice now. That is not a mistake you will survive to commit a third time (Atem's hand: 5)."

Ottiuk states, "I don't believe I'll need to."

Timaeus draws. "I summon the Wyvern Steed of Atlantis (Fire/Level 4/Dragon/Effect/ATK 1700/DEF 1100)." A blue wyvern with a gold saddle flies down onto the field. "When I summon the Wyvern Steed of Atlantis, it returns a Polymerization from my grave to my hand. I shalt use that card to fuse my Wyvern Steed of Atlantis with the Soldier of Atlantis in my hand in order to summon the Draconic Guardian of Atlantis (Fire/Level 6/Warrior/Fusion/ATK 2300/DEF 1900)." A knight wearing blue and gold armor appears on top of the wyvern's saddle. "The Draconic Guardian gains power equal to half of that of the Soldier of Atlantis, which was 1800 (ATK: 3200). But that's not even the height of my monster's effect. It can target one of thy monsters and completely seal away its effects until the end of the turn, even if it leaves the field."

Yugi gasps. "Great job Timaeus! That means he can't summon more Hydra Heads if you destroy one!"

Timaeus nods. "Aye, my point exactly. Now, seal the effects of the Doombringer Hydra Head and unleash your attack!" Timaeus' monster dives down on Ottiuk's and slashes its sword, severing the head. But then, to everyone's surprise, two more Hydra Heads grow, the Head of Aeration and Head of Crystallization. Timaeus says with disbelief, "Nay…it cannot be so."

Ottiuk declares, "It is so. You were foolish to think that the effect of my ultimate monster could be negated. Haven't you learned already? The Doombringer Hydra has no weakness. Now, as punishment for your impudence, I'll use the effect of the Hydra Head of Aeration to return the Draconic Guardian of Atlantis to your Extra Deck!"

Timaeus shakes off his surprise, seeming prepared. He declares, "I say nay! I activate Atlantis Return! I shalt return my monster to the Extra Deck on my own terms and then summon the monsters used to summon it from my grave! Return, Wyvern Steed of Atlantis and Soldier of Atlantis (Earth/Level 4/Warrior/Effect/ATK 1800/DEF 1300)!" His monsters escape the burst of wind from the Hydra Head by separating. Content with his small victory, Timaeus grins. "That shalt conclude my turn (Timaeus' hand: 3)."

Ottiuk draws. "And so the time of doom has come once more for you."

* * *

**Ministry of Dueling, Central Duel Computer Room**

The Setos burst into the room housing the Central Duel Computer. Celestia, Brutus, and Tori follow. Seto steps up to the computer and begins to type away at its access terminal. Celestia asks, "Can you do it? Can you remove Ottiuk's influence from the system?"

Seto laughs confidently. "I built this computer for the Ministry of Dueling. Ottiuk may be an all-powerful spirit of darkness, but he's no computer expert." He types for another moment or two and then declares, "Shutting down the broadcast…now." The entire system shuts down.

Brutus and Tori cheer. Tori exclaims, "Now Ottiuk's control over the Earth will be no more!"

Brutus is about to cheer something too, but then something catches his eyes. He's stunned. He nudges Tori in the side and points.

Tori looks over to where Brutus points, as do everyone else. Everyone is stunned. Tori asks, "How is that possible…?"


	29. Episode 136: Endgame Part 3

Episode 136: Endgame Part 3

**Earth Orbit**

Ottiuk has just drawn his card. He declares, "I have waited long enough to destroy you. It is time to finally take out one of the incarnations of Yu-Gi-Oh." He looks across his row of opponents and settles on his target. He grins maliciously. "Little Yugi seems a ripe enough target."

Atem and Yuni both gasp, "Yugi!" with concern at once.

"Hydra Head of Eradication (Dark/Level 6/Dragon/Effect/ATK 2400/DEF 0), attack Yugi directly!"

Yugi, without fear, looks up at the intimidating monster. He clenches his fists and says, "Then I guess this is it guys. There's no way I can withstand the oncoming onslaught." An attack is aimed at Yugi.

Yuni declares, "No, I won't let you harm Yugi! Not after everything we've been through! I activate my Trap Card, Heart and Soul! By tributing a monster, I can redirect your attack to a target of my choice and for the rest of the turn, you may only attack that target!" Yuni tributes his Cyber-Tech Dragoon Master.

Ottiuk laughs. "You have no other monsters to redirect the target to."

Yuni nods knowingly. "And that's why I designate myself as the attack target. This turn you may only attack me."

Yugi looks at Yuni with surprise. "No Yuni! He'll destroy you! You can't do this!"

Yuni looks at Yugi and grins. "Come on Yugi, after all we've been through, don't you think I can handle myself? Besides, me being destroyed is better than you being destroyed."

Yugi shakes his head. "Don't you dare say that."

"Too late."

Ottiuk agrees, "Yes, it is too late for Yuni. Hydra Head of Eradication, attack Yuni directly!" The attack is launched. Yuni is caught in the beam of shadows and flung back (Yuni's LP: 600). He recovers, but barely. Ottiuk then declares, "And since I can only attack you, you know what comes next! Hydra Head of Creation (Light/Level 6/Dragon/Effect/ATK 2400/DEF 0), destroy Yuni once and for all!" The hydra head fires a beam of light at Yuni.

Yugi shouts, "Yuni!" The beam hits. A tear comes to Yugi's eye. "Why'd you have to do that Yuni?"

Atem declares, "Yugi, we cannot worry about him now, it's too late. Now let's use his sacrifice so that we can defeat Ottiuk. There are still three of us, and only one of him."

"No, there are four of us." The smoke from Ottiuk's attack clears, and Yuni is revealed (Yuni's LP: 100).

Ottiuk demands with annoyance, "What happened?"

Yuni explains, "One who would sacrifice his heart and soul to protect another can never be truly destroyed! And because of that, my Heart and Soul card makes it so that my life points cannot drop below 100 for the remainder of the turn. I'm still in this duel."

Yugi says happily, "Yuni…I actually thought you were through…"

Yuni looks to him and grins. "Come on, you know me better than that."

Yugi grins back. "You're right…I do. And that's why I know we're going to defeat Ottiuk. Together."

Ottiuk chuckles. "How heartwarming." Taking a more serious tone, he adds, "It's disgusting. Seeing as I can only attack Yuni, and his life points can't drop below 100, I suppose that brings my turn to end." He discards a card to keep his hand below the limit (Ottiuk's hand: 6)."

Yuni draws a card confidently and looks to it. It's the Cyber-Tech Magician. "Ottiuk, it looks like fate has entered the realm of this duel, for I am about to be joined by a loyal friend. By discarding the Cyber-Tech Spellbook Index from my hand, I Special Summon the Cyber-Tech Component (Earth/Level 2/Machine/Effect/ATK 500/DEF 900), which when tributed, counts as two tributes, meaning I can summon the mighty Cyber-Tech Magician (Dark/Level 7/Spellcaster/Effect/ATK 2500/DEF 2100)!" With that, Yuni's most trusted monster appears before, ready to go into battle once more. Yuni says, "This is it Cyber-Tech Magician, the final battle we've both prepared for. Let's do this." The monster actually responds to Yuni by nodding in agreement. "From my graveyard I banish the Cyber-Tech Spellbook Index in order to activate its effect, allowing me to add another Cyber-Tech Spellbook card from my deck to my hand, such as the Cyber-Tech Spellbook of Stealth!" The new spellbook appears in the magician's hand. "Now my Cyber-Tech Magician can attack you directly! You may only take half the damage, but it's worth it.

Yugi cheers, "Yeah, attacking directly means that Ottiuk doesn't get any more Hydra Heads!"

Yuni orders, "Go, Stealth Cyber Magic Attack!" The magician disappears, and then reappears right in front of Ottiuk, launching its attack up close (Ottiuk's LP: 6450). It then reappears at Yuni's side. "And now I conclude my turn (Yuni's hand: 0)."

Yugi prepares to draw. He declares, "And just as Yuni found a way, so too will I! For I believe in the Heart of the Cards!" He draws. Without even looking at the card he drew, he plays it. "I activate Dark Magic Curtain! By paying half of my life points, I can perform a magic trick for you (Yugi's LP: 1500)! Now you don't see him, now you do! I summon the Dark Magician (Dark/Level 7/Spellcaster/Normal/ATK 2500/DEF 2100)!" From the curtain, Yugi's Dark Magician emerges onto the field. "And since I now control the Dark Magician, I can play the powerful Spell Card, Arcane Ring of the Magicians!" Upon activating the card, a ring, just like the one seen on the background of Dark Magician's picture, appears, encircling Timaeus, Atem, Yugi, and Yuni. "This spell is so powerful, that I can't declare an attack the turn it's activated, so I'm passing this duel over to Atem (Yugi's hand: 2)."

Atem draws. "And I will not disappoint you Yugi, for I too will be joined by my most trusted partner. I activate Millennium Rites, allowing me to summon the Millennium Magician straight to the field (Dark/Level 7/Spellcaster/Effect/ATK 2500/DEF 2100), but with an extra 1000 Attack Points (ATK: 3500)!" Mahad as the Millennium Magician appears as well. "Now Millennium Magician, let's destroy that Hydra Head of Crystallization (Earth/Level 6/Dragon/Effect/ATK 0/DEF 2900)! Millennium Dark Magic Attack!" The magician casts its spell and destroys the head.

Ottiuk grins. "I should thank you, you have just given me the means to destroy one of your own. I summon the Hydra Head of Immolation (Fire/Level 6/Dragon/Effect/ATK 2300/DEF 0) and the Hydra Head of Creation! Hydra Head of Immolation, burn down Yuni where he stands!"

Yugi declares, "No, this is where I repay the favor to Yuni. Since he controls a Magician monster, the effect of Arcane Ring of the Magician's activates, nullifying your damage to him!" The Cyber-Tech Magician, Dark Magician, and Millennium Magician all chant a spell, and a barrier is erected around the perimeter of the ring. The fiery attack is blocked.

Yuni grins. "Thanks Yugi."

Yugi grins back.

Ottiuk seems slightly annoyed. "Fine, using the effect of the Hydra Head of Creation, I will once more summon a Doombringer Hydra Head (Dark/Level 8/Dragon/Effect/ATK 3000/DEF 0)."

Atem then says, "At the end of my turn, the effect of Millennium Rite would normally destroy the monster it summoned (Atem's hand: 4)."

Yugi finishes, "But another effect of Arcane Ring of the Magicians is that it prevents Magician monsters from being destroyed by card effects."

Timaeus draws, declaring, "Verily, which means I shalt hath to summon a Magician monster of my own! I tribute my Soldier of Atlantis and Wyvern Steed of Atlantis in order to summon the Atlantis Magician (Dark/Level 7/Spellcaster/Effect/ATK 2500/DEF 2100)! Atlantis Magician, we shalt continue this forward push and attack as well! Go, Atlantean Magic Attack on the Hydra Head of Immolation!" Timaeus' magician launches its own magical attack, destroying yet another head (Ottiuk's LP: 6250).

Ottiuk simply accepts the attack, and then states, "And I will replace that head with two more, such as the Hydra Head of Inundation (Water/Level 6/Dragon/Effect/ATK 2100/DEF 0) and the Hydra Head of Crystallization. And with the Head of Inundation, I am healed (Ottiuk's LP: 7250).

Timaeus declares triumphantly, "I sense thy time of defeat draws closer (Timaeus' hand: 3)."

Yugi then points out, "Especially because you just summoned your last Hydra Head!"

Yuni asks, "What do you mean Yugi?"

Yugi grins. "I mean we have him beat. He has one Hydra Head for each standard Attribute, as well as an extra one in the form of Doombringer Hydra Head. He's used three of each now, and judging by the fact that he has yet to summon any others, it's safe to say he's out of them now. No more Hydra Heads will be joining this duel!"

Ottiuk draws a card and simply begins to laugh.

Atem states, "I fail to see what is so funny. Yugi just found the one true weakness of your monster. You just ran out of heads!"

Ottiuk nods, "Yes, he is right in saying that I have no more heads to summon, but he was wrong to think that is a weakness." He beckons up to his monster, which now has thirteen heads, one Doombringer, two Inundation, two Immolation, two Aeration, one Crystallization, three Creation, and two Eradication. "Thirteen heads, the maximum size of the Doombringer Hydra. Tell me, have you ever wondered why thirteen is considered an unlucky number? It is because when the Doombringer Hydra has thirteen heads, it is at its most powerful! By sending the Doombringer Hydra with thirteen heads to the grave, I can finally unleash its true form upon the Universe!"

Yuni asks in horror, "True…form…?"

Atem gasps, "It can get more powerful…how?"

"I summon the Hydra of Primeval Darkness (Demon/Level 12/Demonic-Beast/Effect/ATK ∞/DEF ∞)!" Ottiuk disappears, as does his hydra. It is replaced by a larger and fiercer hydra, one that strikes fear into any that gaze upon it. It now has too many heads to count. In the center of its mass of heads is one giant head, larger than all the rest. Its only facial feature is a mouth. Where its eyes would be, the upper torso of Ottiuk emerges. He is now fused with his beast. He too has grown larger and more demonic. He declares, "From Darkness the Universe was born, and to Darkness it shall return!"

Upon seeing the demonic dragon, Yuni, Yugi, Atem, and Timaeus are instantly horrorstruck. They are sucked into a vision of their past life. Prince Yu-Gi-Oh, as a child, is standing in front of a cave. Cosmo and Prince Seto stand with him. Prince Yu-Gi-Oh appears to be quite nervous.

Cosmo says to him, "There is nothing to fear my young prince, the Caves of Prophecy will simply reveal to you something about your destiny. It is a longstanding tradition for royalty of Yugoha to see such at a young age."

Prince Seto chides, "Come on you wimp, I already did it. Now it's your turn."

Yu-Gi-Oh sighs. "Fine…I'll go in." He takes a deep breath and steps into the cave. He looks back to Cosmo, who nods and beckons for Yu-Gi-Oh to continue. He turns back forward and continues to walk into the dark cave.

He is now deep within the cave. He looks around nervously, unsure of what to do next. Then suddenly a mystical voice declares in his head, _Yu-Gi-Oh! Your name is destined to go down in history! The Doombringer Hydra, beast of Primeval Darkness will return! You will enter battle with it! _Images are put into Yu-Gi-Oh's head of the fierce Hydra of Primeval Darkness, and Ottiuk's laugh can be heard. _Two will enter battle…only one will exit. _And then in a flash, Yu-Gi-Oh sees the hydra lashing out and attacking.

Meanwhile, Cosmo and Prince Seto are waiting outside of the cave. Suddenly, Yu-Gi-Oh comes running out, screaming in terror. The vision ends.

Yugi cowers in fear and asks, "What…what is that thing?"

Timaeus, also terrified, says, "Never before hath I felt such fear…"

Atem says, "This can't be possible…"

And Yuni is too afraid to say anything.

Ottiuk laughs with amusement. He explains, "That fear you feel right now is a primal fear. One held naturally by every Yugohan. One that was amplified by past experiences of Yu-Gi-Oh. My hydra was his one true fear, so strong it even affects you four.

Yuni then asks with horror, "To command such a beast…what…what are you…?"

Ottiuk grins widely. "I am Darkness itself. I am the spirit of the Doombringer Hydra given physical form!" Yuni, Yugi, Atem, and Timaeus gasp. "I am a soul as old as Yugoha itself. In fact, it was Yugoha that created me! It was Yugoha that created their own worst nightmare!"

Yuni asks, "How is such a thing possible? How could Yugoha create something as wicked as you?"

"Over one million years ago, what would become known as the Yugohan Space Empire was simply the planet Yugoha, its primitive people barely more advanced than your Earth taking their first steps out into the galaxy at large. Fate would have it that one of the first planets they discovered held a secret. It was the abandoned homeworld of the Precursors, an ancient society that used the power of Chaos to rule the galaxy for millions of years. There the ancient Yugohans learned the secrets of Chaos and how manipulate it. They became fascinated with the idea of playing god and creating their own universe, their own lifeforms. And so they experimented with tipping the scales and skewing the Balance of Chaos towards Light and Creation. After thousands of years of experimentation they succeeded, but only for a split second. In that split second, they changed the entire Chaos Constant of the Universe into pure Light. That was all it took to create the grand being known as Empyrean, the Sovereign Genesis Lord."

Yuni gasps. "Yugoha created its own god?"

"Yes, that's exactly what they did. With Empyrean's power, Yugoha forged an entire new universe. They created the Monster Spirit World." This shocks everyone. "Yes, Duel Monsters and Shadow Games as you know them only exist because of Yugoha. With the power to summon monster spirits to aid them in nearly anything, Yugoha quickly conquered the entire galaxy. Now of course, it was quickly decided that they could not allow the power of Empyrean to fall into enemy hands, so using the power of a newly developed spell, one that came to be known as Another Hope, they split Empyrean into three separate entities. Over the next million years, it was forgotten that Chronos, Quantus, and Versal were creations of Yugoha, and most began to believe it was the other way around. Science devolved into doctrine."

Yuni asks, "But what does any of that have to do with you?"

"It has everything to do with me. You claim to be a Lord of Chaos. Tell me, what is the Fundamental Theory of Chaos?"

Yuni answers, "For every force of Light, there is an equal and opposite force of Darkness…"

"Exactly. The Yugohans may have done the seemingly impossible when they altered the Chaos Constant of the Universe and created Empyrean, but it was not without repercussions. When they drew Light energy from the void, negative Light energy, also known as Darkness, was left behind. On that day, not only was the ultimate entity of Light created, so too was an equal and opposite entity of Darkness. Yugoha didn't just create their gods, they created their demons too." Another collective gasp, as Yuni, Yugi, Atem, and Timaeus realize the truth. "Throughout all of Yugoha's history, I was always there. I was the cause of their strife and pain. I was the subject of their darkest nightmares. I was their fears incarnate. Empyrean was born to create a universe, I was born to destroy a universe. I may have never achieved my destiny in the past, because every few generations, a new wielder of Another Hope would appear and use the power of Empyrean to stop me. It wasn't until a million years later that I finally found a plan that would work. Using my dark influence, I made it so that a pair of twins would be born as the heirs of Yugoha, both equally fit to rule. I orchestrated the entire Yugohan Civil War! And now with Yugoha fallen, and only four shadows of the true Prince Yu-Gi-Oh here to stop me, I will at long last realize my goal and destroy this universe!"

Out of nowhere, Yugi, despite the fear he feels, suddenly declares, "No! We won't let you do that!"

"You are foolish to think that you have a chance. Listen to that fear gnawing at you. You know it's correct. You know that it's impossible to defeat me."

Yugi shakes his head. "No, I may be afraid, but there is a force in this universe more powerful than fear, and it's called hope! And as long as I still have hope, I won't give up!" Yuni, Atem, and Timaeus all look to Yugi with admiration.

"Spoken like a true hero. Fine, allow me to show you what happens to heroes. Hydra of Primeval Darkness, attack the Dark Magician and wipe Yugi off of this plane of existence!"

Yugi doesn't even care. He counters, "Too bad you can't do that! Because I still have the effect of Arcane Ring of the Magicians! As long as a player controls a Magician monster, that monster is your only attack target! Since each of us has a Magician monster, that means you have to attack them all. Since you can only declare one attack, that means you can't even declare the attack to begin with!" Yugi smiles smugly.

Yuni cheers, "Great job Yugi!"

Atem congratulates, "Even in the face of great fear, you manage to protect us all."

Ottiuk states, "Fine, I guess I'll end my turn then." He discards a card for the hand limit (Ottiuk's hand: 6). "You should know though, this next turn will be the last of the duel, no matter what."

Timaeus demands, "What dost thou mean?"

"The Hydra of Primeval Destruction is so powerful that it doesn't even need to declare an attack to win. At then of the turn following the turn it is summoned, I will automatically become the winner of this duel."

All the hope that Yuni, Yugi, Atem, and Timaeus were feeling before is suddenly gone. Timaeus says with despair, "But that means…"

Atem continues, "If Yuni doesn't win this turn…"

Yugi finishes, "It's all over…" They all look to Yuni, who looks absolutely hopeless.

Ottiuk sneers, "Go ahead, draw your last card. I assure you it won't do you any good."

Yuni shakes his head in disbelief. _He's right…I have no cards in my hand, and only the Cyber-Tech Magician on the field. I can't beat a monster with infinite strength like that… _He clenches his fists. _But I have to try…for the sake of the world… _He raises his arm to the sky and begins to perform a Chaos Draw. But then he looks to Yugi, who shakes his head and then looks at him knowingly. Yuni lowers his hand. After sharing a mind with Yugi for so long, he know exactly what Yugi is thinking. _Yugi's right. A Chaos Draw won't help me here…he said it himself. In the face of fear, only hope can prevail…I need to have hope…I need to believe… _He declares out loud, "I need to believe in the Heart of Cards!"

* * *

**Ministry of Dueling**

Tori is looking at something in shock. She asks, "How is that possible…?"

What they are all looking at is some sort of energy bubble. Floating in it is a single card. The card is Another Hope. Celestia answers, "I…don't know…Ottiuk must have switched the real card out for a fake one…so that Yuni wouldn't use it against him."

Brutus declares, "Yuni needs this card, and he needs it now! We have to get it to him!"

Seto asks critically, "And how do you plan on doing that? He flew off into space, remember?"

Celestia suddenly realizes something. "No…he's right. There is a way we could get it to him."

Critias asks, "And pray tell, how is that?"

She explains, "The power of Another Hope comes from the collected hopes and aspirations of Yugoha. It responds to the emotions hope brings to one. Everyone, you need to think about what gives you hope! If we have hope, then the card will return to where it needs to be! Do it everyone, think about what gives you hope!"

Everyone begins to focus. Seto closes his eyes and envisions his brother. He thinks, _Kodane…you are the one thing worth fighting for…_

Similarly, Kaiba thinks of his brother. _Mokuba…I will not allow the world to be destroyed…for your sake._

Priest Seto is envisioning his homeland. _Egypt, my country…my home. As your soon-to-be Pharaoh I will not allow harm to befall you yet again._

Critias thinks back to a memory of him training with Socrates. _You may be gone Socrates, but your teachings and power live on within me, and I will pass your teachings on to the next generation…I swear it._

Celestia thinks back to when she first met Prince Seto. She doesn't even think of any words. She simply thinks back to the images of her favorite times with him.

Brutus and Tori both think the same thing at the same time. They simply think, _Yuni…_

A golden light fills the room as an aura surrounds Another Hope. Within moments, the card disappears completely.

* * *

Yuni declares, "I have hope in the Heart of the Cards, and it will guide my draw!" His hand moves to draw a card from his deck. As it does, the deck begins to glow with the same golden light. He draws. Yuni's eyes go wide with surprise as he sees that he has drawn Another Hope.

Ottiuk seems to sense the card that Yuni drew. He denies, "No…that's not possible…"

Yuni continues to blankly stare at Another Hope. He looks to the magician monsters on the field, and is reminded of the time that he and Atem fused their magicians using the power of the Millennium Scale. He then looks to his comrades and remembers the time that he and Yuni fused as a result of the Power of the King.

He doesn't even need to explain his plan. The other three all nod in agreement, already knowing exactly what he's thinking.

Yuni looks up to Ottiuk and declares, "You time is through, Ottiuk! I activate Another Hope!" In a brilliant display, cosmic energy begins to build up around not only the four magicians, but also the four incarnations of Yu-Gi-Oh. "I combine the power of the Cyber-Tech Magician…!"

Yugi picks up, "With the power of the Dark Magician…!"

Atem continues, "And the Millennium Magician…!"

Timaeus adds, "And the Atlantis Magician…!"

Yuni concludes, "In order to create the monster that will destroy you! Now, magicians, unite!"

As he declares this, the four magicians are transformed into bodies of pure energy. But they aren't all. So too are their duelists. The four bodies of light of the magicians and the duelists from together into to new bodies of light. The magician one takes on a form first, becoming the golden magician of light seen in so many visions of Yugoha. The second body of light then takes form, revealing Prince Yu-Gi-Oh himself, cloaked in a brilliant golden aura. He declares, "I summon the Divine Magician (Light/Level 7/Spellcaster/Effect/ATK 2500/DEF 2100)!"

Ottiuk demands in shock, "How could you possibly face me Yu-Gi-Oh!? I am your greatest nightmare! You should be cowering in fear before me, not fighting me!"

Yu-Gi-Oh declares, "For the first time in 20,000 years I am myself again, but I am still not the same Yu-Gi-Oh that split his soul all those millennia ago. I have within me the combined experiences of Timaeus, Atem, Yugi, and Yuni! I am as much them as I am me! And with those experiences, I conquer my fears! And now it is time to banish you from this universe once and for all!"

"That's impossible! You can't hope to defeat the Hydra of Primeval Destruction!"

"Yes I can, for I have my most trusted ally at my side! He has served me through five lifetimes now, and will continue to for as long as I exist. The Divine Magician is so powerful that it can make its strength equal to double any monster it faces! Do it Divine Magician!" The magician raises its staff and casts a spell, creating a golden glow miasma around the hydra, and then absorbing it into itself (ATK: ∞x2).

Ottiuk gasps upon seeing the power of the monster. "No…that's not possible…no monster can be that powerful!"

"Well mine is! Go Divine Magician, unleash your Divine Magic Attack!" And it does, attacking with a massive blast of golden light. The light penetrates the darkness that surrounds the hydra and begins to tear the monster apart. After a few moments, the monster is entirely destroyed, leaving Ottiuk floating alone (Ottiuk's LP: 0).

Ottiuk looks at Yu-Gi-Oh with utter disbelief. He then sneers, "You may have defeated my body, but I still exist, and you can't change that! It may take me another million years, but I will regenerate. I will destroy this universe, eventually, and there's nothing you can do to stop it! It is my destiny!"

Yu-Gi-Oh shakes his head. "No…you're wrong. There is a way to stop you. The people of Yugoha were too arrogant and proud to realize this, but my time living other lives has taught me things. I am a new person, and can realize things that I could never hope to before. Timaeus taught me that to be a warrior, sacrifices must be made. Atem taught me that a good leader must make the hardest calls for his people. Yugi taught me that a pure heart must be kept when making decisions. Perhaps most importantly, Yuni made me realize that it was wrong of Yugoha to disrupt the Balance of Chaos as they did a million years ago. Their intentions may have been benign, but what they created was not. I take no pleasure in this, but now it's time to set the Balance right." He pulls out two cards. Empyrean, the Sovereign Genesis Lord and Another Hope.

Ottiuk realizes what he intends to do. Experiencing fear for perhaps the first time, he shouts, "No…you can't do this! No!"

Yu-Gi-Oh nods. "It's what I have to do. On this day I atone for the sins of Yugoha."

Ottiuk warns, "If you do this, you will not only destroy me, but the gods of Yugoha as well. Think about what you're doing! You're destroying your entire culture."

Yu-Gi-Oh nods. He says without regret, "I know." He holds up Empyrean's card, summoning it to the field. He then holds up Another Hope and declares, "Light and Darkness recombine! Return to void from which you came!" Empyrean and Ottiuk are pulled together. In an array of golden light they begin to recombine.

Ottiuk curses, "Mark my words Yu-Gi-Oh! You will go down in history as the destroyer of gods! Yugoha will not survive without their gods! Your own society will turn against you for this! That I swear!"

The voice of Empyrean says to Yu-Gi-Oh, "My child…you made the right decision. Thank you. You have freed me." The two combine completely, and then disappear.

Empyrean's card in Yu-Gi-Oh's hand crumbles into dust and floats away. A single tear falls from Yu-Gi-Oh's eye. It floats off into the void of space and freezes. Yu-Gi-Oh turns around and looks down to the planet below him. He then flies down towards the surface.

Back on the roof of Kaiba Corp., Seto, Kaiba, Priest Seto, Critias, Celestia, Brutus, and Tori are waiting. Brutus points up to sky and says, "Hey, look at that light!" Everyone looks up to see what looks like a golden shooting star falling in the middle of the day.

Celestia says knowingly, "He did it…that's him."

The light grows larger and larger. It's Yu-Gi-Oh flying towards them. He stops just above them. Floats for several moments, looking over them all. He then lands. The moment he lands, there is a brilliant flash. When it subsides, Yuni, Yugi, Atem, and Timaeus have reappeared. They all look at each other with bewilderment.

After a few moments of silence, Tori finally speaks up and asks, "So…did you guys…did you beat him?"

Yuni nods. "Yes…Ottiuk is gone for good. He will never return. It's all over."

Celestia steps forward. She says, "No, it's not all over yet. There is still one question to answer." She looks from the Yu-Gi-Ohs to the Setos. "The greatest question of all."


	30. Episode 137: Another Hope Part 1

Episode 137: Another Hope Part 1

**Kaiba Corp. Tower Roof**

Celestia states, "No, it's not all over yet. There is still one question to answer." She looks from the Yu-Gi-Ohs to the Setos. "The greatest question of all."

Tori asks, "The greatest question? What's that?"

"After 20,000 years, it is finally time for the return of the Yugohan Princes. Yu-Gi-Oh and Seto separated their souls for two reasons. Both so that they could defeat Ottiuk when the time came, and so that they may one day return to rebuild their empire. There is one problem though. Before the empire can restored, the original question must be answered. Yu-Gi-Oh or Seto, who is the true heir to Yugoha? We must perform a ritual that will permanently recombine their souls…and then we must settle the dispute once and for all."

Yuni looks up at Celestia with shock. "Wait…I – no – we must return to being Yu-Gi-Oh permanently?"

Celestia nods. "It was decided by your past life that this must be done for the sake of the empire." This causes distress for Yuni.

Tori realizes why. She shouts with anger, "You can't possibly expect Yuni to do that! You're asking him to give up the rest of his life! He wouldn't be himself anymore!"

Hearing Tori explain this causes Brutus to also become outraged. "That's ridiculous! Maybe Yugi and the others have lived full lives, but think about all that Yuni would be sacrificing! You can't ask him to do this!"

Celestia hangs her head in sorrow. "I realize what it means…as did Yu-Gi-Oh and Seto when they first made the decision to split their souls. They assumed that all four lives they were to live out would likely be better their own, and that it would only be worse for them to return. But they also knew that sacrifices had to be made to ensure the survival of the Yugohan Empire."

Brutus shouts, "Well sorry if we don't care as much about some ancient alien empire as we do about our best friend! You know what!? I think we've done plenty for Yugoha! It's time Yugoha does something for us!"

Yuni says meekly, "Leave it alone Brutus…"

Brutus and Tori turn to Yuni, who has his head lowered, deep in thought. Tori asks, "Don't tell me you're actually considering doing this Yuni!"

Yuni looks up at her. Not sounding too convicted, he declares, "I am."

Brutus objects, "But Yuni, you can't! You might as well be dead if you do this!"

"Celestia's right, Brutus. Yugoha is an empire containing countless trillions of citizens. It's lived the past 20,000 years under the iron rule of Tyria. Without me, it will certainly collapse. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, or in this case, the one. I need to do this. Besides, I won't be completely gone. A part of me will still exist within Yu-Gi-Oh."

Tori's anger turns to sadness. Tears begin to well up in her eyes. "Yuni…you're too selfless for your own good…"

Brutus, on the other hand, only seems to get angrier. He shouts, "Fine then, throw away your own life if that's you want! See what I care! I'm out of here!" He turns around and storms off, exiting the roof.

Yuni starts to try to call him back, but can't bring himself to do it. "Brutus…" A tear falls from his eye.

Yugi approaches him from behind and attempts to comfort him. "It's alright Yuni, he's just coping with his grief in his own way. Give him time, he'll come around."

Yuni sighs. "Yeah…"

Celestia turns to Seto. "You've been awfully quiet. What are your thoughts?"

Seto seems to be somewhere distant in thought. He slowly responds, "If it weren't for Kodane, there'd be nothing holding me back to this life. But by accepting this responsibility, I can help to make the world a safer place for him…I don't know." He looks to her. "What do you think?"

Celestia shakes her head. "I can't answer that question objectively…for my heart aches for Prince Seto's return."

Seto nods in understanding. "I need to talk to Kodane."

Yuni then says, "I have some unfinished business to take care of as well."

Celestia nods. "Take as much time as you need to get things in order. We'll meet back here when you both are ready." With that, Seto wordlessly turns around and heads for the exit.

Yuni takes a deep breath and walks towards the edge of the roof. He silently gazes across the cityscape of Domino City goes into deep contemplation.

Tori walks up to him and asks, "Is Brutus what's bothering you?"

Yuni nods. "Maybe he's right. Maybe I am too selfless, but that causes another problem. That selfless side of me doesn't want to hurt Brutus either. This is lose-lose situation. I know I'm making the right choice by returning to being Yu-Gi-Oh, but that doesn't make it easy."

"Yuni, for the longest time you were Brutus' only friend. You're the one who taught him not to worry about what others think. Not to mention he sees you as his mentor in Duel Monsters. You're more than just a friend to him, you're his hero. He may look like a big tough guy on the outside, but I think he's more sensitive than you realize on the inside. Everyone's going to react in a different way to an event like this. Things of this magnitude just aren't meant to happen in normal life. You may have been born to have an abnormal life, but he wasn't."

Yuni sighs and nods. "I just hope he'll be okay."

Tori forces Yuni to look her in the eyes, and she asserts, "He will be. If I know anything about Brutus, it's that he's strong, and not just physically."

Yuni nods again. "And what about you Tori? I know you don't agree with my decision, but you seem to be taking it pretty well."

She nods. "You know what Yuni? I may not like it, but in all honesty I think I would make the same decision if I were in your shoes. Besides, you know me, I focus on the past more than I do the present or future, and you've given me a heck of a past to focus on."

Yuni slightly grins and chuckles. "I guess I have."

"For a history buff like me, the past year has been absolutely amazing. I know things about the history of Earth and beyond that no other human knows. I can't complain at all. So go on Yuni, do what you need to do."

Yuni nods. "Thank you Tori. Thank you so much."

Tori smiles. "Oh, and one more thing." She pulls something out of her pocket.

Yuni's face suddenly lights up as he exclaims, "My locket!"

Tori hands it to him. "I found it in the Ministry of Dueling, where Ottiuk was keeping his base of operations."

Yuni takes it from her and savors the feeling of it in his hands. He pulls out Another Hope and inserts it back into its slot. He then remembers something. He digs into his pockets, removes a small datachip, and inserts it into the locket. He then activates it. Two holograms are now displayed, the normal one of his parents, and the one of him, Tori, and Brutus given to him for his birthday by Tori. "There, everything's as it should be now."

Tori asks reluctantly, "So…when you're…you know…not you anymore, will you still value this?"

Yuni shrugs. "It's impossible to know. I literally become an entirely different person. I still remember being Yu-Gi-Oh and defeating Ottiuk as if they were my own memories, and there was still a sense of me while I was Yu-Gi-Oh, but there was also a sense of the other three, all merged together perfectly to form a seamless individual. It's not like when Yugi and I shared a mind, where we each still maintained our own personalities, instead it was a perfect meld. The result of which, I really don't know. Yu-Gi-Oh might treasure something like this even more than I do, or he might think it's a piece of garbage."

Tori takes the locket from him and puts it around his neck. "Then wear it now while you are still you." Yuni nods. "Now, I'm sure you have places you've got to be."

Yuni nods once more. "Thank you Tori. Thank you so much."

Tori grins. "You're welcome."

Yuni grins back. He then takes a few steps back and announces, "Lux, Nox! Take me to the Sanctuary of Chaos!" A Chaos portal opens up behind Yuni and he is pulled in.

* * *

**The Sanctuary of Chaos, Somewhere in the Pacific**

Yuni is standing in the halls of Sanctuary's castle. Lux, Nox, and Trope bow before him. Trope declares, "Welcome back Lord Ragnarok. We presume it was you that just freed the world?"

Yuni grimaces. "It was me…but it wasn't me…it's a long story. Is Ma'at here? I need to talk to him."

Trope nods. "Yes, he has been here attempting to fully reconnect with Chaos for some time now. I will fetch him immediately. By the way though, he goes by Matt now." Trope backs out of the room.

A few moments later, a voice calls out, "So who's this that wants to see me?" Yuni turns to see Ma'at, or rather Matt step into the room. Matt sees Yuni and freezes up. He suddenly shouts, "You Chaos scum! I thought I told you I never wanted to see you again!" Yuni is stunned. Matt suddenly breaks out laughing.

Yuni realizes he was joking and starts laughing too. He says, "Thanks, I needed a good laugh more than you could know."

Matt looks him over. "I could sense it. Now to what do I owe the pleasure of a personal visit by the Lord of Chaos?"

"Let's take a walk. I'll tell you on the way."

* * *

Yuni and Matt are now walking alone across the island. Yuni asks, "So you go by Matt now?"

Matt shrugs. "It seemed improper of me to continue calling myself Ma'at when I've severed all ties to the Guardians of Order. I never reached the stage in the Society where I got a Chaos name to go by, so it's just Matt for now."

"And what about the Guardians of Order? How'd they take the news?"

"The news that everything they've devoted their lives to is a lie, and everything they despise is the true path? Not that well. Most of the Council of Order ended up being persuaded once I showed them the Chaos Goddess, but there are a few holdouts. I've given all the information I have on them to Trope, just in case they decide to take action against the Society."

Yuni nods. "That's good."

Matt looks to him. "Now come on Yuni, something tells me you didn't come all the way here just to catch up. What's going on?"

Yuni, ignoring Matt's question, points to a clearing up ahead. "That clearing there is where I had my first duel in the Duelist Sanctuary Tournament. It was against a duelist named Sly. He somehow managed to hack into the Duel Computer and rig my deck against me. I guess you could say that that was the start of my adventure that would eventually lead me here, to this very same spot."

Matt asks again, "Come on now, tell me. What's on your mind?"

"That beginning has lead me to this end. This is my journey's end."

Matt's confused. "What do you mean?"

"I'm not going to go into too much detail, but what I'm saying is that the course I've been on for a year now has come to a terminus and there is much change going on. After today, I will no longer be able to serve as the Lord of Chaos."

"You're leaving the Society!?"

"Let's be honest here. I never joined the Society in the first place. I just served as an interim Lord of Chaos after Apep met his doom, it was never my destiny. It's time for a more permanent Lord of Chaos to take my spot."

"I suspect that you intend to inform Trope then? He'll make a fine Lord of Chaos."

Yuni shakes his head. "No, Ma'at…Matt. Trope isn't my replacement."

"Then who is?"

"He's standing right in front of me."

Matt is taken aback. "Me!? You want me to be the next Lord of Chaos!?"

Yuni nods. "You were Apep's original choice to succeed him. You were his apprentice for much of your life. Apep knew it was your destiny to become Lord of Chaos, which is why he couldn't believe that you would turn to Order. His prediction was right, he just didn't realize that you would stray off the path first."

Matt shakes his head in disbelief. "There's no way this could ever work. The Society would never accept me, I used to be the Lord of Order."

And we proved that Order and Chaos has a lot more in common than anyone ever thought. Besides, if I name you as my successor, they have no choice but to accept you or leave the Society.

Matt's still in a state of shock and disbelief. He finally nods his head. "Alright…I'll do it."

Yuni nods. "Then it's official. You are now the Lord of Chaos." He extends his hand to shake Matt's and they shake hands. As soon as they do, a connection is formed. Light and Dark energy manifests around Yuni's body, flows down his arm, and then surrounds Matt. It is then absorbed into Matt. The yin-yang marking on the back of Yuni's hand fades away, and then appears on Matt's hand. They stop shaking.

For a split moment, Matt's eyes glow, one gold, one dark purple. He takes a deep breath, feeling all of the power inside of him and then exhales. He looks to Yuni and says, "I will not let you down. You may have only been a Lord of Chaos for less than a year, but your legacy will live on. I don't know what this talk about a journey's end is, but I promise you that the Society of Chaos will always be there to support you. Just say the word, and we'll be there to help."

Yuni smiles. "Thank you Matt."

* * *

**Yuni's House, Domino City**

Yuni steps out of a Chaos portal and ends up in front of his house. He looks up at it and stares for a moment. He says to himself, "Alright, I have to do this." He steps inside.

As soon as he does, his grandpa calls from across the room, "Yuni, I'm so glad to see you back. You know, according to the news, no one on the entire planet can recall what's happened the past few days. Strange, isn't it?"

Yuni nods. "Yeah. Very strange." He walks over to his grandpa, who's sitting on his favorite recliner watching the news, and says reluctantly, "Look…Grandpa…there's something I have to tell you."

"Of course Yuni, you can tell me anything."

Yuni sighs. "Grandpa…I have to leave…"

"Oh, are you going on another one of them dueling trips with your friends? That's great."

"No…that's not it. I mean I actually have to leave…"

"Don't be ridiculous Yuni, you don't _have _to do anything. Do whatever your heart tells you."  
Yuni sighs. "You don't get it Grandpa."

He smiles, "I get it just fine. Your destiny is calling to you, and you feel you have to leave and never return."

Having apparently already planned his response, Yuni shouts, "No, you don't get it! I have to leave and never…" he trails off as he realizes what his grandpa said. "Wait…what did you say?"

He chuckles. "I guess I'm not as clueless as you thought. You go do what you think you have to do you space prince."

Yuni is absolutely shocked. "H…h…how could you possibly know that!?"

He sighs. "Your parents told me all about your destiny before they left. I've known all this time you were destined for greatness."

"But you never even indicated you knew anything. You would always act so oblivious."

He chuckles. "I figured it would be best for you to find your own path. You didn't need your old grandpa dictating to you what you needed to do. That's why I've always given you such freedom, and I must say, you turned out to be a wonderful young adult. Now, like I said, don't worry about me. Go do what your heart tells you you have to do."

Yuni gives him a bear hug. "Thank you Grandpa, I love you so much."

He struggles to say, "Can't…breathe…"

Yuni lets him go. "Sorry…"

* * *

**Kaiba Corp. Tower**

Seto sits at his desk, contemplating recent events. He looks up when the door to his office opens. Kodane comes running in excitedly. He shouts happily, "Big brother, I'm so happy you're back!"

Seto smiles. "And I'm glad to be back."

"What did you want to talk about with me?"

Seto sighs. "Kodane, you know that everything I do is for you, right?"

Kodane nods. "Yup, I sure do. That's what makes you the best big brother in the world."

"Well…there's something I have to do now…something very important. By doing this thing I'll be helping to make the world – no, the galaxy – a better place, not only for you, but for everyone. The only problem is that it means I'm going to have to go away…and we may never see each other again." Seto braces himself for the worst.

However, Kodane smiles and says cheerfully, "That's okay big brother. Do whatever you need to do."

Seto looks at him with surprise. "Do you understand what I'm saying Kodane? We'll never be together again, at least not in the same way we are now. How could you be okay with that?"

Kodane reaches into his pocket and pulls out something. It's a card, the Cosmic Toon Dragon. He then reaches for Seto's deck box sitting and the deck and pulls another card out of it, the Cosmic Nebula Dragon. "These two cards represent our bond, big brother. It doesn't matter what happens to either of us, that bond will still stay. If you need to leave, then you do that. You'll still be my big brother."

Seto smiles with pride. "Kodane…I don't think I ever realized how much you've grown up. Thank you, I wasn't sure of what to do before, but now I know."

Kodane smiles.

* * *

Yuni steps into a room. It's Brutus' room. Brutus is sitting on a chair, looking out the window silently. Yuni announces himself, "Your mom said I could come up here." Brutus doesn't answer.

Yuni sighs, steps into the room, and sits down on Brutus' bed. "Look…Brutus…this isn't easy for either of us. Please don't make it any harder. You know this is what I have to do." He waits for an answer, but there's none. "I'm sorry it has to turn out like this. I wish I could stay here. I wish more than anything that I could just live a normal life like we used to back before Yugi, but after all we've been through in the past year, there's no way I could ever live a normal life. Please Brutus, please stop this." Brutus still doesn't even acknowledge Yuni's presence.

Yuni sighs once more. "I don't know what else to say." He gets up and turns around to leave. Right before he exits the room, he stops to say, "Brutus…I'm not sure if I ever told you this or not, but I really appreciated having you as a friend. I never acted like that, always teasing you, or calling you an amateur, and I always took your friendship for granted. I think one of the most important things that came out of my time with Yugi was learning the value that your friendship truly had to me. It pains me that we have to part under such conditions. Goodbye Brutus." He leaves.

Brutus clenches his fists. The last part of the monologue seems to have had an effect on him. He fights back tears in his eyes.

* * *

Everyone except for Brutus has gathered back on the roof of Kaiba Corp. tower. Celestia asks, "Alright, are we ready to begin?"

Yuni looks towards the entrance to roof, hoping to see Brutus. He sighs. "I'm ready."

Seto adds, "As am I."

Celestia nods. She looks to the others and asks, "And are you ready?" They all nod their heads. Celestia nods back. "Alright then. I suppose we should begin. So that the spell could not be used early on one so that they may claim Yugoha for their own, it was decided that the effects of Another Hope would only become permanent when both Prince Seto and Prince Yu-Gi-Oh where once again whole." She looks to the Yu-Gi-Ohs. "That's why you reverted back after your battle with Ottiuk. Once we use Another Hope on the both of you, the recombination will be permanent. There will be no going back." Everyone nods in understanding. "Let's begin. Yuni, present Another Hope."

Yuni opens his locket and pulls out the card. "What do I do?"

"Play it as if you were in a duel."

Yuni nods. He holds up the card and declares, "I activate Another Hope!" The card glows golden. A golden aura begins to surround each of the pieces of Yu-Gi-Oh's and Seto's souls. As the aura grows stronger and brighter, the eight are lifted into air.

Yuni looks one last time towards the entrance. He thinks, _This is it…the last moments I'll ever experience as Yuni… _He looks over to Yugi. Yugi gives him a confident smile.

Just then, someone shouts, "Hold up, something's missing!" Everyone looks towards the source of the voice. Brutus is standing at the entrance. "I'm missing!"

Yuni exclaims, "Brutus, you came!"

Brutus steps closer and says, "Of course I came. I'm your friend Yuni, and I'm here for you."

This brings a tear of joy to Yuni's eye. He shakes his head with disbelief and says with extreme joy, "Brutus you amateur, you had me worried." The next moment, there is a sudden flash of light, and the final recombination occurs. Eight meld into two.

Floating in the air now are the Princes Yu-Gi-Oh and Seto. They are slowly lowered to the ground. They look around in disbelief. Taking a few moments to take everything in. They then look to each other. There is an immediate sense of awkwardness. Yu-Gi-Oh speaks first. "Seto…my brother. It is so good to see you once more."

Prince Seto nods. "And it is good to see you too, my brother." The two continue to stare at each other for several tense moments.

They both begin to say something at the same time, but stop when they see the other has something to say. There's another few moments of silence. Yu-Gi-Oh finally says, "Go ahead, what do you have to say?"

Seto sighs. "Only now, viewed through the lenses of history and four additional lives do I realize how wrong we were to fight like we did before."

Yu-Gi-Oh nods. "I had exactly the same thought."

"That's why I'm relinquishing my claim to throne. You're the next Yugohan Emperor, my brother."

This shocks Yu-Gi-Oh. "No…I cannot accept your offer. It must be you who becomes emperor, not me."

Seto objects, "But you were always the kinder and more compassionate one. You're the one who deserves to lead."

Yu-Gi-Oh shakes his head. "No, I just destroyed the very gods of Yugoha. I cannot possibly take the throne after that. It must be you."

Seto says reluctantly, "Then it would seem that we still hold our original problem."

"Let's not fight a war over it this time." They both chuckle.

Celestia finally steps forward and says something, "We must do what was originally agreed upon. The next emperor of Yugoha will be decided in a one-on-one match of your choice."

They look to each other and both say at once, "A duel."

* * *

Everyone has relocated. They are now in a duel arena, the Kaiba Corp Duel Arena, the very same one where both Yugi and Kaiba and Yuni and Seto had their very first duels. Yu-Gi-Oh and Seto have each taken their positions. Celestia, Brutus, and Tori watch from the side.

Yu-Gi-Oh asks, "So whoever wins this duel becomes the Yugohan Emperor?"

Seto nods. "That was the deal."

"Then it's duel on." In a flash of light, both princes summon a Duel Gauntlet-like device. They activate them.

Some Yugohan variant of a Duel Computer declares, "Rite of Succession Match, Prince Yu-Gi-Oh vs. Prince Seto, now beginning. Scanning decks…decks accepted. Begin match!"

Both declare at once, "Let's duel!"


	31. Episode 138: Another Hope Part 2

Episode 138: Another Hope Part 2

**Kaiba Corp. Duel Arena**

The twin princes Yu-Gi-Oh and Seto are about to duel for their fate. Watching from the sidelines is Tori, Brutus, and Celestia. Tori asks, "I suppose this is it, isn't it? The final duel, the ultimate showdown."

Celestia nods. "Indeed. It is. Yu-Gi-Oh and Seto have faced each other many times in the past, but never with so much on the line, even during the Yugohan Civil War."

Brutus asks, "What do you mean? I understand that only one can become the emperor, but what happens to the other?"

"Permanent banishment. The loser will never be allowed to step foot within Yugohan Space ever again."

Brutus asks cautiously, "So if Yu-Gi-Oh loses…will he be able to stay on Earth?"

"I sense you ask this because you still have hope that Yu-Gi-Oh will still be Yuni. Heed my warning. Yuni's experience, personality, and emotion may be inside Yu-Gi-Oh, but your friend he is not. And it doesn't even matter. While Earth may be an independent planet, its galactic coordinates place it within Yugohan Space."

Brutus is saddened. "Oh…"

Back at the duel field, Seto offers, "You were the one to save the galaxy, please take the first turn."

Yu-Gi-Oh nods. "I'll have to take you up on that offer." Yu-Gi-Oh makes the first draw. "I summon Stellamancer Canis (Light/Level 3/Spellcaster/Effect/ATK 1300/DEF 1500)." His first monster is a somewhat diminutive magician wearing golden robes which appear to be made out of solid light. It carries a spellbook in one hand. When it appears, a manifestation of light in the form of a dog appears for a moment, and then fades away. "I'll also set a card and end my turn (Yu-Gi-Oh's hand: 4)."

Seto draws. "Which means my turn begins! I summon Wyver of the Dracosmos (Light/Level 4/Dragon/Effect/ATK 1500/DEF 1200)!" This monster is a wyvern-like dragon with wings replacing its arms. Its body is reminiscent of the starry night sky. "The turn I summon Wyver, it allows me to perform an extra Normal Summon. I tribute Wyver in order to summon Gargouille of the Dracosmos (Light/Level 6/Dragon/Effect/ATK 2300/DEF 2000)!" This monster is a dragon with a bulky body and large, bat-like wings. Its scales also depict the night sky. "Go Gargouille, deliver the first blow and destroy his Stellamancer Canis!" The dragon leaps into the air and flies at Yu-Gi-Oh's monster.

Yu-Gi-Oh objects, "Halt! I activate my Trap Card, Protective Stellamancy! With this card, my Stellamancer monsters can now cast a spell to protect themselves in battle!" Canis incants its spell, and a formation of twinkling lights, almost like stars, appear in front of it. Seto's monster rams into the formation, revealing that it's a barrier protecting Canis.

Seto nods. "I didn't expect you to make things easy my brother. I am glad you didn't."

Yu-Gi-Oh grins. "Just be sure to repay the favor."

Seto nods. "I certainly will, especially by setting this card (Seto's hand: 4)."

Yu-Gi-Oh draws. "I activate the effect of Stellamancer Canis! Since it's on my field during the Standby Phase, I can add one Celestial Advancement card from my deck to my hand!"

Seto counters, "You're wrong brother! After all the times we've faced each other, I know your deck just as well as you do! I was expecting such a move from you, so I was prepared! I activate the Continuous Trap Card, Blockade of the Dracosmos! As long as I control this card and a Dracosmos monster, you can't activate any Spell Cards! Without your Celestial Advancement cards, your deck is worthless. I've won this duel already."

Yu-Gi-Oh chuckles. "Don't get so confident so soon. I'll still use Canis' effect and add Celestial Advancement: Light of the Stellamancers to my hand." He looks at his brother and asserts, "You may know the person I used to be, but I've picked up a few tricks since then. Watch this. I Evolve Stellamancer Canis!" His monster begins to glow and grow larger. "I summon Shining Stellamancer Leo (Light/Level 6/Spellcaster/Evolution/ATK 2300/DEF 2100)!" The glowing subsides, revealing a new magician. It is has the appearance of a more fully-realized magician, but wears the same robes of light. When it appears, an apparition of a lion made of light flashes into existence for a moment.

Seto is shocked. "You can perform an Evolution without a Celestial Advancement card!?"

Yu-Gi-Oh grins. "Yugoha may have long ago dropped the practice of standard Evolution Summoning in favor of Celestial Apex Evolutions, but there's no reason that they can't still be used. Watch as I activate the effect of Shining Stellamancer Leo! It has a different effect depending on what monster it evolved from. Since it evolved from a level three Stellamancer monster, its effect allows it destroy all Spell and Trap Cards you control when it's summoned!" The monster recites a spell, and a giant lion made of pure golden light appears once more. The lion charges at Seto's field and slashes at his Trap Card, destroying it.

Seto nods. "So you have picked up some new tricks. This will certainly make things more interesting."

Yu-Gi-Oh agrees, "Indeed it will. I'll now have my Stellamancer Centaurus (Light/Level 4/Spellcaster/Effect/ATK 1600/DEF 1300) appear on the field as well." This monster is a more elder magician with the same robes of light. When it appears, and the figure of a centaur manifests itself in light. "With your Blockade of the Dracosmos gone, I can now freely activate Spell Cards. I activate Celestial Advancement: Light of the Stellamancers! Go, Celestial Apex Evolution!" Centaurus becomes cloaked in a nebulous light. "I summon Luminous Stellamancer Sagittarius (Light/Level 7/Spellcaster/Evolution/ATK 2700/DEF 2400)!" This monster is obviously a direct upgrade to the previous, being the same wise and elderly magician, this time dressed in much more elegant robes of light and carrying a majestic staff. When it appears, the form of a centaur holding a drawn bow and arrow appears momentarily. "Go Luminous Stellamancer Sagittarius, destroy the Gargouille of the Dracosmos!" The monster raises its staff and casts an incantation. The centaur with a bow and arrow reappears and fires its bow at Seto's monster, destroying it.

Seto explains, "The turn that the Gargouille of the Dracosmos is destroyed, I take no battle damage."

Yu-Gi-Oh nods and sets a card. "If that is to be the case, then I end my turn (Yu-Gi-Oh's hand: 3)." With the end of his turn, Leo devolves back into Canis.

On the sidelines, Tori notices, "Both of them have launched offensive attacks, but both have yet to take any damage."

Celestia nods. "Indeed. That is the way things work when these two face each other. In all of the time they have done battle, none has ever landed a scratch on the other."

Brutus gasps, "Not once? How do they ever finish their battles?"

"They don't. They are normally forced to admit a tie or be faced with the prospect of an unending battle."

Tori asks, "But what makes this time any different? Why will one of them win this duel?"

"The nature of dueling here on your planet does not allow for the infinite matches they would have back in Yugoha. That, and this is more than any petty battle. This is a duel of destiny. The Yugohan Lords may no longer be with us, but I sense their hand in this duel."

With that statement, everyone turns their attention back to the duel. Seto draws a card. He declares, "Let's take this duel into a new realm. I activate the Field Spell Realm of the Dracosmos!" With the activation of his card, the entire duel arena transforms. The two dueling princes now find themselves floating in some form of outer space. The scenery around them is alive with the colors of nebulas and space gases. Also, bright stars forming constellations shaped like dragons can be spotted in all directions. "Now the field is set for my next move! I summon Draken of the Dracosmos (Light/Level 4/Dragon/Effect/ATK 1500/DEF 1100)!" This monster is a bipedal, somewhat humanoid dragon, once again with scales that appear like a night sky. "With the first effect of Realm of the Dracosmos, I am allowed to summon one extra time per turn, as long as it's a Tribute Summon! So I tribute Draken, which counts as two tributes for the summon of a Dracosmic monster in order to summon Wyr of the Dracosmos (Light/Level 7/Dragon/Effect/ATK 2600/DEF 2500)!" Yet another dragon with scales like the night appears. This one is a massive serpent coiled up on itself. "Whenever I Tribute Summon a monster while Realm of the Dracosmos is on the field, I get to draw a card!" So he does. "Also, Realm of the Dracosmos powers up any Tribute Summoned Dracosmos monster by 500 points (ATK: 3100)! Go Wyr of the Dracosmos, destroy Stellamancer Sagittarius!" The monster readies itself to strike.

Yu-Gi-Oh declares, "You claim to know my deck well, yet you forget about the effect of Celestial Advancement: Light of the Stellamancers! A monster summoned by its effect is protected from battle once per turn!"

Seto grins. "I remember that, but apparently you do not remember the effect of my Wyr! If it battles a monster, and that monster is not destroyed, I can automatically destroy it and inflict damage to your life points equal to the destroyed monster's attack! Do it Wyr of the Dracosmos!" The coiled monster lunges like a spring at Yu-Gi-Oh's, destroying it.

That's when Yu-Gi-Oh declares, "I activate a Trap Card! Healing Stellamancy!" This turn, if you inflict any damage to me, I automatically gain the same amount of life points back!" A blast of energy from Yu-Gi-Oh's destroyed monster is sent at him, but a formation of stars appear above him, and casts a benevolent light onto him. His life points don't change.

Seto nods with slight annoyance and sets a card. "Indeed. I suppose that brings an end to my turn (Seto's hand: 2)."

Yu-Gi-Oh draws. "My Standby Phase has come once more, and I still control Stellamancer Canis, meaning I get another card. I'll chose Celestial Advancement: Guidance of the Stellamancers. With that done, I will tribute Stellamancer Canis in order to summon Stellamancer Ursa (Light/Level 5/Spellcaster/Effect/ATK 2000/DEF 2200)!" The newest Stellamancer is a woman wearing the robes of light. She has a hood raised over her head and carries a wand. Upon her appearance, an apparition of a bear flashes into existence. "Your Field Spell now applies to me as well, since I just Tribute Summoned a monster." He draws a card. "And now I'll activate Celestial Advancement: Guidance of the Stellamancers! Go, Celestial Apex Evolution!" Once more, Yu-Gi-Oh's monster glows with a nebulous light. "I summon Bright Stellamancer Aries (Light/Level 7/Spellcaster/Evolution/ATK 2000/DEF 2000)!" It reappears as a completely different Stellamancer monster, this one another woman, but with an entirely different set of robes and now carrying a crystal orb. "Bright Stellamancer Aries gains attack equal to half of the attack of its Evolution Base (ATK: 3000). In addition, once per turn, it allows me to revive one Stellamancer monster. Come back, Stellamancer Centaurus!" The monster reappears on the field, as does its apparition of light. "And I immediately Evolve it!" It glows a golden light. "I summon Sparkling Stellamancer Taurus (Light/Level 6/Spellcaster/Evolution/ATK 2400/DEF 2200)!" This magician is a more physically powerful looking man. When he appears, a bull manifests itself before disappearing like the others. "And with the summon of Taurus, its effect allows me to add one Stellamancy card to my hand, such as Stabilizing Stellamancy, which I will activate." Another array of stars appears above Yu-Gi-Oh' monsters. "This card takes the attack of your strongest monster, and lowers it to the attack of my strongest monster." Light from the array of stars shines at Seto's monster (ATK: 3000).

Seto points out, "You still cannot destroy my monster without destroying your own first."

Yu-Gi-Oh nods. "That's exactly what I plan on doing. If I want to win this duel, I'm going to have duel differently than I ever have before. Go Bright Stellamancer Aries, attack Wyr of the Dracosmos!"

Seto orders, "Counterattack!" The two monsters launch their attacks, destroying each other in the process.

Yu-Gi-Oh then says, "And now you're open to attack. Go Sparkling Stellamancer Taurus! Attack my brother directly!"

"I activate my trap, Shield of the Dracosmos! Since you destroyed a Dracosmos monster, this card immediately ends your Battle Phase!"

Yu-Gi-Oh chuckles. "It would seem like this duel is just like old times." He sets a card and Taurus devolves (Yu-Gi-Oh's hand: 3).

Seto nods. "Indeed it is." He draws. "But this next turn will change that. I activate Resurrection of the Dracosmos! With this card I summon the Draken of the Dracosmos back from the graveyard. Then I'll also summon another Wyver of the Dracosmos from my hand. With my extra summon I tribute them both, for a grand total of three tributes, in order to summon Ouroboruo of the Dracosmos (Light/Level 9/Dragon/Effect/ATK 3500/DEF 3000) (ATK: 4000)." This monster is massive. It is a large serpent floating in the air. Its body has twisted in on itself, so that it resembles an infinity symbol. Seto draws a card since he Tribute Summoned a monster.

Yu-Gi-Oh asks, "And this is the monster you intend to change the course of this duel with?"

Seto nods. "I know that your deck contains no monster that can stand up alone to this mighty dragon."

Yu-Gi-Oh nods. "That much is true."

"And things only look worse for you when you consider the effect of my mighty dragon! Upon being summoned, it destroys all monsters you control!"

Yu-Gi-Oh counters, "Not if I activate the effect of Stellamancer Centaurus! As long as I control it, you can't destroy my cards with card effects!"

Seto accepts this. "Fine. We'll have to do this the old fashioned way. Go Ouroboruo of the Dracosmos, destroy Yu-Gi-Oh's Bright Stellamancer Aries!"

"And that's where I activate another facedown! Go, Defensive Stellamancy! This card switches my Stellamancer Centaurus to defense position, and then redirects your attack to it!" Yet another formation of stars appears above Yu-Gi-Oh's monster. This time the light from them causes his monster switch into a defensive posture. When Ouroboruo's attack is launched in the form of a beam of energy, it is aimed at Centaurus, destroying it.

Seto accepts this easily, declaring, "Alright, but now that your Centaurus is gone, its effect no longer protects your monsters, and when Ouroboruo destroys a monster in battle it automatically destroys every other monster you control!" With another beam, Yu-Gi-Oh's remaining monster is destroyed. Seto sets a card. "And with that, I finish this turn (Seto's hand: 0)."

Yu-Gi-Oh grins and chuckles. "So much for you changing things. Allow me to give it a try next. Maybe I'll be more successful!" He draws as he declares this. "I summon Stellamancer Cygnus (Light/Level 1/Spellcaster/Effect/ATK 0/DEF 0)!" This magician appears to be full of wisdom, and has adopted a meditative stance. It creates the manifestation of a swan. "The attack of this card is equal to the number of Celestial Advancement cards I have in my graveyard times 500 (ATK: 1000)."

Seto laughs. "If that's how you plan to defeat me, then maybe you should give up now. I clearly deserve to be the emperor over you in that case."

"Not by a long shot, brother. I activate Celestial Advancement: Magic of the Stellamancers! Go, Celestial Apex Evolution! I summon Radiant Stellamancer Scorpio (Light/Level 7/Spellcaster/Evolution/ATK 2500/DEF 1900)!" After transforming, the new monster is one of a fierce and fiery disposition, in contrast to the serene nature of its Evolution Base. A scorpion of light manifests itself when it appears. "The Radiant Stellamancer Scorpio is a very special Stellamancer monster. It actually gains the effect of its Evolution Base, meaning it too gains 500 Attack Points for every Cosmic Advancement card in my graveyard (ATK: 4000)."

"So this is a stalemate. Both of our monsters are of equal power."

"For now, but I still haven't applied the effect of Magic of the Stellamancers. A monster summoned by it has its attack increased by an additional 500 points (ATK: 4500)! So much for your stalemate! Go Radiant Stellamancer Scorpio, destroy the Ouroboruo of the Dracosmos!" The monster summons back its scorpion of light and sends it in for the attack.

Seto isn't about to let this happen. "We won't go down without fighting! I activate Strength of the Dracosmos, increasing the attack of my monster by 500 (ATK: 4500)! Go Ouroboruo, counterstrike!" Seto's monster also launches its attack. The attacks collide midfield. The beam of energy hitting the scorpion of light causes a massive explosion along with a blinding flash of light. When it clears, the field is empty. Both monsters have been destroyed. Still not a single point of damage has occurred.

Yu-Gi-Oh and Seto look at each other with a combination of annoyance and respect.


	32. Episode 139: Another Hope Part 3

Episode 139: Another Hope Part 3

**Kaiba Corp. Stadium**

The twin Princes Yu-Gi-Oh and Seto continue their final battle. The field has been transformed with Seto's Realm of the Dracosmos Field Spell, and both princes have a field devoid of monsters. Both still have 4000 life points.

Yu-Gi-Oh says, "It would seem that no matter how hard either of us try, things will never change."

Seto declares back, "I refuse to let convention hold me back from my destiny. Things will change. I'll make them change, if it's the last thing I do."

On the sidelines, Tori asks, "What happens if the duel continues like this? What if truly neither one of them can damage the other?"

Celestia states, "This duel cannot go on forever. It may last a long time, but in the end, it will come to an end. Then, and only then, will it truly be known who the destined Emperor of Yugoha is."

Seto calls out to Celestia, "Do not fear my love, this duel will have its end. I will see to it myself. You have my word." He draws. As he draws, he thinks back to a time over 20,000 years in the past. He has a flashback to a time before the Yugohan Civil War.

In his flashback, he and Celestia are alone, atop a hill looking overlooking the castle of Yugoha. He is reclining against a tree, and Celestia has her head on his chest. Seto seems deep in thought. Celestia asks, "My love, what troubles you so?"

Seto is removed from his thoughts. "Next week is my birthday. It is then that it will finally be decided by the gods who is most fit to become the next Yugohan Emperor."

"Does this worry you?"

Seto nods. "Indeed it does. I am willing to accept the fact that my brother may make a better emperor than myself, especially if that is what the gods declare, but I have worked so hard towards becoming the emperor that I can't imagine anything else for my life. I have always gone through life thinking of myself as being the worthy one but now I'm not so certain."

"So you are nervous that Yugohan Lords will select Yu-Gi-Oh instead of you?"

Seto nods. "Yes, that is what troubles me."

"Do you have faith in Quantus' ability to judge you?"

Seto nods. "Of course. I trust anything Quantus has to say."

"Then you should have no fear. Quantus will make the right decision. If you are destined to be emperor, Quantus will see that. If you are not, he will also know. You should rest easy knowing that whatever happens, it will be for the right reasons. In the end, no matter how wrong things may seems, the Yugohan Lords know best, and their choice will turn out right in the end for everyone involved."

Seto nods. "I suppose you're right, my love."

After a few moments of silence, Celestia asks, "Why do you want to be emperor?"

Seto is surprised by this question. "What?"

"I mean what I asked. Why do you want to be emperor? What reasons drive you to strive for the position? Is it that you feel it's your birthright? Or do you have other reasons?"

Seto stops and thinks, apparently having never considered his thoughts on the question before. He finally says, "It's definitely not birthright. I have no more claim to the throne in that case than Yu-Gi-Oh. No, it's something much, much more." He stops to think a little more. He motions for Celestia to get up. She does, and so does he. Once they're both standing, he beckons across the view of the castle, and the city surrounding it. "That is my reason."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean look, Yugoha City, one of the densest populations in all of the Yugohan Empire. Countless millions of people live out their lives in that city, unafraid to live their lives to the fullest. That's all because of the safety offered to them by the Yugohan Empire. I want to be a reason they feel safe. Just like I protect Anik, I want to be able to protect my empire, which is the most important thing to me."

Celestia nods. "If you truly think that, and I have no doubt in my mind that you do, then you have nothing to worry about. Come your birthday, if Yugoha truly needs you as its protector, then Quantus will select you. There is no doubt."

Seto smiles and hugs Celestia. "Thank you, my love. That was exactly the talk I needed."

The flashback ends. Seto is back in the present, to draw a card to begin his turn. He says to himself, _I already failed my empire once. I will not let it suffer so ever again. _He draws._ That is why I must win! _He then declares aloud, "I activate Resurgence of the Dracosmos! Since a tribute summoned Dracosmos monster was destroyed during the last turn, I can draw two cards now." He draws. "And since I control no monsters, I am allowed to Special Summon the Amphit of the Dracosmos (Light/Level 3/Dragon/Effect/ATK 1400/DEF 1100)!" This monster is a plumed serpent, a snake with feathers. It also has large, bird-like wings. Like all other monsters of the Dracosmos, its surface resembles the night sky. "When I summon Amphit in this way, it allows me to summon another level four or lower Dracosmos monster from my graveyard with its effects negated. Return, Draken of Dracosmos (Light/Level 4/Dragon/Effect/ATK 1500/DEF 1100)! Now that I have two monsters, I tribute them both in order to summon Serpes of the Dracosmos (Light/Level 7/Dragon/Effect/ATK 2600/DEF 2100)!" This monster is long serpentine dragon with small arms and legs. Its various features cause it to look similar to an oriental-styled dragon. Its strength is increased by the effect of Realm of the Dracosmos (ATK: 3100). "As you know, since I just Tribute Summoned, I get to draw a card thanks to Realm of the Dracosmos." He draws again. "Now Serpes of the Dracosmos, launch a direct strike against Yu-Gi-Oh's life points!" The monster unleashes a golden beam of energy from its mouth at Yu-Gi-Oh.

Yu-Gi-Oh counters, "You haven't caused me damage yet, and that won't change! I discard Stellamancer Columba from my hand in order to activate its effect!" A mage with golden robes made of light appears in front of Yu-Gi-Oh. And in front of it appears a manifestation of a dove. The light animal blocks and cancels Seto's attack. "When discarded, Columba negates any attack." The mage and its manifestation disappear from sight.

"And yet another attack deals no damage. I feel like you do this on purpose to tease me brother."

Yu-Gi-Oh chuckles. "Only if you're doing the same to me."

"I suppose so. (Seto's hand: 1)."

And so Yu-Gi-Oh prepares to draw. As he does, he thinks, _Not only is this a duel of destiny, but it is perhaps the most important battle I have ever been in. Even more so than my final fight with Ottiuk. This battle will determine the course of the entire future. _He too has a flashback.

A slightly younger Yu-Gi-Oh is sitting alone in a room, looking at a window at a nighttime view of Yugoha City. Judging by the view, he must in one of the castle's spires. He slowly takes a deep breath and then exhales. He appears deep in thought and possibly full of stress.

A voice says, "My prince, it is late, and tomorrow is such a big day. You should be in bed."

Yu-Gi-Oh looks over to the entrance to see Cosmo standing there. He grins. "Hello Cosmo." He looks back out the window and asks, "Did my father ask you to talk to me?"

Cosmo steps into the room and pulls up a chair next to Yu-Gi-Oh's. "No, I sensed during our lesson today that something was on your mind. I know that this is where you come to think, so I thought that I might find you up here."

"Yeah. I like it up here. You can see all of Yugoha City, it's a grand spectacle, especially at night."

Cosmo looks out the window too. "Indeed it is." He looks back to Yu-Gi-Oh. "Now, why don't you tell me what's on your mind?"

Yu-Gi-Oh sighs. "You know exactly what's on my mind. Tomorrow is my birthday. Tomorrow the fates of both my brother and I are finally decided."

"Does this worry you?"

He responds with uncertainty, "No…yes…maybe…I don't know…"

"What is it that worries you?"

Yu-Gi-Oh shakes his head in disappointment. "I just don't know. It just does."

"There's an old Yugohan proverb that applies here. Those who know not of what they worry are only lying to make themselves feel better. So why don't you stop lying to the both of us, and tell me what worries you."

Yu-Gi-Oh sighs. "It's the uncertainty I guess. All my life I've done the best to control my path, guide myself towards a good future. But tomorrow will quite possibly be the most important day of my life, a day that will decide my entire future, and control over tomorrow is taken completely from my hands."

"Are you saying that you do not trust the judgment of Yugohan Lords?"

Yu-Gi-Oh quickly shakes his head in denial. "No, that's not what I meant at all. I trust the Yugohan Lords, especially Chronos, with all of my being. But still, the idea that for once in my life I have no control, and that it's during the most important moment in my life is terrifying. I just feel so helpless."

Cosmo nods in understanding. "Children of Yugoha are taught from birth to blindly trust the Yugohan Lords and the dogma of our ancestors. Some would even call what you're saying heresy."

Yu-Gi-Oh hangs his head in shame. "I'm sorry Cosmo."

Cosmo shakes his head. "No, you have nothing to apologize about. I have never agreed with those teachings. Yes, we should embrace and trust the Yugohan Lords, that's the very reason they'll be deciding your fate tomorrow, but it is good to question such things. The only words of advice I can offer is that Chronos and Quantus have overseen a million years of Yugohan history. And once every few hundred years, they must make the same decision they will make tomorrow. Never have they chosen wrong. The one selected to become the next emperor has always been destined for greatness, leading Yugoha into a new and prosperous age. There is no reason for tomorrow to turn out any differently. The gods will make the right decision, and Yugoha will be better off for it."

Yu-Gi-Oh nods. "I know..."

"Also, you have absolutely nothing to fear. You should also realize that when the Yugohan Lords decide upon you and your brother's fates tomorrow, they aren't just selecting an emperor, they're selecting one not to be an emperor."

Yu-Gi-Oh looks puzzled. "Is that supposed to be comforting?"

Cosmo chuckles with amusement. "What I mean to say is that the Yugohan Lords don't just pick who will make the better emperor, but also who would be better not as emperor. If Seto is selected as emperor and you not, it does not mean anything against you. It means that you would better serve the empire as something other than emperor. Either way you are a prince of Yugoha, and destined for greatness."

Yu-Gi-Oh nods. "I suppose so…" He's silent for a moment. He then speaks up. "But still, I can't help but think that it needs to be me who is the emperor."

"Do you not think your brother would make a good emperor?"

Yu-Gi-Oh quickly shakes his head in denial. "No, that's not what I meant at all. Seto would make a great emperor. No, what I meant is that I have a vision, and I feel like I'm the only one who can make it a reality."

Cosmo nods. "Tell me young prince, why is it that you want to be emperor? What inspires you, motivates you, and keeps you moving in life?"

Yu-Gi-Oh is about to answer with the first thing that comes to his head, but then he pauses to think. "I'm…not sure…" He thinks a little more. "I guess to put it all in a word, the future. It's the future that drives me."

Cosmo nods. "And what do you mean by the future?"

"Well…Yugoha is a society over a million years old. In those million years, it has accomplished countless feats that would have been considered impossible by those before us. We were the first spacefaring civilization to exist in the modern era. But all of that is past. There's still untold trillions of years left in the universe. More time left than time past. Our million years of history is an insignificant speck compared to what has and will occur across the totality if time. Just think about the potential. All we've done, all we've accomplished up to this point, it's all meaningless when compared to what's to come. We have infinite potential as a society. I want to be emperor so I can help harness that potential and forge a better future. I want to take our insignificant speck and turn it into a true impact on this universe."

Cosmo nods. "That is a truly noble and heartfelt reason. If your visions of the future are really meant to be, Chronos will certainly select you tomorrow. There is no need to be nervous."

Yu-Gi-Oh thinks about this for a moment, and then nods. "Thanks Cosmo, you helped me out more than you could imagine. I'm ready for tomorrow now, no matter what happens."

The flashback ends. Yu-Gi-Oh thinks to himself, _Yugoha's past is now stained by darkness. The great achievements I once saw are now accompanied by the darkest millennia in Yugohan history. The future, now more than ever, must be bright. _He draws a card. _That is why I must win! _He declares aloud, "I summon Stellamancer Lupus (Light/Level 2/Spellcaster/Effect/ATK 700/DEF 500)!" A diminutive yet fierce-looking magician wearing robes of solid light appears before Yu-Gi-Oh. As it does, the form of a wolf manifests itself momentarily. "Stellamancer Lupus' effect allows me to tribute it in order to Special Summon another Stellamancer monster from my hand. I will do so in order to summon Stellamancer Cetus (Light/Level 5/Spellcaster/Effect/ATK 2100/DEF 1700)!" This magician is fairly tall and skinny. It wears overly long robes made of light. Upon its appearance, the form of a whale appears in light and then fades away. "And my next move should be no surprise. I Evolve Stellamancer Cetus!" It begins to glow and change in form. "I summon Dazzling Stellamancer Cancer (Light/Level 7/Spellcaster/Evolution/ATK 2600/DEF 2300)!" When the changes are complete, the monster is now even taller than before, its robes even more elaborate. It holds a scepter in one of its hands. Its spirit manifests in the form of a giant crab made of golden light. "This Dazzling Stellamancer gains 500 Attack Points for every monster you control (ATK: 3100)!"

Seto observes, "So once again we control monsters of equal power. The stalemate continues."

Yu-Gi-Oh shakes his head. "I'm going to do my best to make sure it doesn't! When Stellamancer Cetus is used as an Evolution Base, it grants a bonus to the monster it Evolves into, the ability to attack you directly at the expense of having you only taking half the damage!" He grins confidently. "Go Dazzling Stellamancer Cancer, blast through Seto's defenses and attack him directly!"

"It's time for me to take your hope to change things, and make it mine! I activate the effect of Serpes of the Dracosmos, which allows me to designate the target of your attack! You will attack Serpes!"

Yu-Gi-Oh is surprised. "But that doesn't change anything! Both of our monsters will be destroyed in the crossfire!"

"Not when I activate Serpes second ability! It makes it so that any monster of equal or higher Attack Points that attacks it is automatically destroyed! Even better is you'll take 1000 points of damage too!"

Yu-Gi-Oh thinks fast. "From my grave I banish Stellamancer Columba!" Columba's dove manifestation of light appears on the field once more. "By banishing Columba, I can prevent the destruction of a Stellamancer monster by a card effect!" The dove vanishes, and both monsters unleash their respective attacks, the result of which is the destruction of both monsters (Yu-Gi-Oh's hand: 0).

The twin brothers look at each other. Both thinking the same thing. _Back to square one…_

At the same time, they both let out a battle cry. Seto declares, "For the people!"

Yu-Gi-Oh shouts, "For the future!"

Then they both shout, "I will not lose again!"


	33. Episode 140: Another Hope Part 4

Episode 140: Another Hope Part 4

**Kaiba Corp. Stadium**

The duel of Prince Yu-Gi-Oh and Prince Seto continues. The field is still Seto's Realm of the Dracosmos, there are no monsters, and neither prince has lost a single life point. Both princes declare, "I will not lose again!"

Tori comments, "Wow, they're both so fired up."

Brutus nods in agreement. "This duel is getting very heated, very fast."

Celestia also nods. "They have both just been reminded of what they're fighting for. Each of them has their own reason to desire the throne of Yugoha, neither more correct nor important than the other. This duel is a true deadlock of truths and ideals."

Seto prepares to begin his turn. Instead of drawing, he declares, "I activate the effect of Cards of Divinity from my hand! As it is the only card in my hand and there are no monsters on the field, I can discard it instead of drawing during my Draw Phase! Now I can draw five cards!"

Yu-Gi-Oh declares, "You forgot one thing, Cards of Divinity allows any player with no cards in their hands to draw five cards. That includes me."

Seto nods. "I did not forget. Go ahead and draw your cards. I want to battle you at full strength."

Yu-Gi-Oh nods. "I'm looking forward to it."

Both draw their cards at the same time. The moment they do, a single card in each of their hands begins to glow. They first look with surprise to the glowing card, and then they look to each other knowingly.

Celestia gasps. Brutus asks, "What, what's going on?"

"The cards they just drew. This duel is about to enter a whole new level."

Brutus and Tori turn their attention back to the duel with anticipation.

Seto declares, "Then I guess I got what I asked for."

Yu-Gi-Oh nods, "We will indeed both be dueling with our full strengths."

"I activate Retribution of the Dracosmos! At the cost of discarding a card and not being able to attack this turn, this card summons out two Dracosmos monsters from my graveyard with their effects negated! Return, Amphit of the Dracosmos (Light/Level 3/Dragon/Effect/ATK 1400/DEF 1100) and Wyver of the Dracosmos (Light/Level 4/Dragon/Effect/ATK 1500/DEF 1200)!" The two spatial dragons return to the field in a display of brilliant light. "Now I offer them both up as tribute!" A mystical aura of rainbow light begins to fill the field. Both monsters are absorbed into said aura. "I summon the Rainbow-Eyes Omnipotent Dragon (Light/Level 8/Dragon/Effect/ATK 3000/DEF 2500)!" The rainbow aura collapses in on itself and begins to take a solid form. It's a dragon made of a brilliant golden light with eyes that flash every color of the rainbow. It's the same dragon that has been seen by Seto's side in many visions. It roars, and when it does, apparitions of the Dragon of the Reliquary, Legendary White Dragon, Blue-Eyes White Dragon, and Cosmic Plasma Dragon can be seen roaring with it. They quickly fade.

Brutus and Tori gasp, and Celestia watches intensely.

Seto declares, "Rainbow-Eyes Omnipotent Dragon, legend has it that when the Yugohan Lords created monster spirits, it was among the first and most powerful! My partner throughout my lives and most trusted companion! Face it now brother and face your defeat!" Yu-Gi-Oh doesn't appear intimidated. Seto draws a card from the effect of Realm of the Dracosmos and then sets the three cards in his hand. "Make your move, brother (Seto's hand: 0)!"

Yu-Gi-Oh draws. "I will! I summon Stellamancer Serpens (Light/Spellcaster/Effect/ATK 1600/DEF 1000)!" When this magician of light appears, it is accompanied by a snake made of light. "I immediately Evolve it! I summon Lustrous Stellamancer Pisces (Light/Level 6/Spellcaster/Evolution/ATK 2200/DEF 2400)!" After undergoing the transformation, this new luminous monster commands an apparition of two golden fish swimming around each other. "The effect of the Lustrous Stellamancer Pisces allows me to tribute it in order to summon any monster from my hand!" The Stellamancer turns into a body of pure light, and begins to change once more. "I summon the Divine Magician (Light/Level 7/Spellcaster/Effect/ATK 2500/DEF 2100)!" The light transforms into the same magician used to defeat Ottiuk. It raises its staff towards the sky, and as it does, apparitions of the Atlantis Magician, Millennium Magician, Dark Magician, and Cyber-Tech Magician cross their staffs with its, and then disappear. "Like Rainbow-Eyes, the Divine Magician was created at the time of genesis! It is every bit as powerful as your dragon!"

Celestia says with awe and anticipation, "This is it…these two monsters have been battling in one form or another for 20,000 years now…their battles end here, once and for all…"

Yu-Gi-Oh declares, "Given the battle that is about to take place, I think another change of scenery is in order! I activate the Field Spell Card, Clash of Fates!" The entire field transforms once again as Seto's Realm of the Dracosmos gives way to Yu-Gi-Oh's Clash of Fates. They now stand on the top of an immense building, looking out over a vast and futuristic metropolis. It's the Castle of Yugoha in the middle of Yugoha City. "This card sets the field so that we may both fight to our greatest potential, allowing Trap Cards to be played the turn they are set, and causing battling monsters to double their attack power every time a card is activated! We are in for a battle to end all battles!"

Seto grins. "I can't wait."

Yu-Gi-Oh sets the remaining three cards in his hand and then declares, "I activate the effect of the Divine Magician, increasing its Attack Points to double that of your monster (ATK: 6000)!"

Seto then states, "But you know exactly what happens next! The effect of my Rainbow-Eyes Omnipotent Dragon increases its attack to match that of any monster that gains attack (ATK: 6000)!"

Celestia says to Brutus and Tori, "This is how their matches always go. The effects of their monsters always balance each other out and no progress is made."

Yu-Gi-Oh declares, "Go Divine Magician, prepare to attack!" It begins to charge energy in its staff.

Seto orders, "Prepare to counterattack, Rainbow-Eyes!" It gathers energy in its mouth.

Yu-Gi-Oh shouts, "I activate Change of Predestination, increasing the attack of my monster by 500 for every level on the field!"

"I also activate my own copy of Change of Predestination!" Both monsters grow stronger (ATK: 13500).

"We both just activated a card during battle, so our monsters both double in attack, twice, from Clash of Fates (ATK: 54000)! I still have more left though, I activate Second Future! This card allows me to activate my monster's effect once more, making it double the attack of yours again!"

"And so I'll activate another Second Future, allowing my monster to match your change again!" The energy being gathered by the monsters for their attacks increase greatly (ATK: 108000). The effect of Clash of Fates increases the attack twice more (ATK: 432000).

Both look at each other and think the exact same thing, _I knew it would turn out this way, it always turns out this way. But this time I'm prepared! _They then both shout, "It's time to put a stop to this, I activate Destiny's End! Now when your monster is destroyed, you'll take damage equal to its attack!" Both monsters double attack twice again (ATK: 1728000).

Brutus says with utter disbelief, "Those monsters have over a million Attack Points!"

Tori stammers, "Th…that's…impossible…"

Both Yu-Gi-Oh and Seto continue to speak in tandem. "Attack now!" Then Yu-Gi-Oh orders, "Divine Magic Attack!" and Seto orders, "Omnipotent Stream of Creation!" at the same time. Both monsters unleash their absurdly massive attacks, the Divine Magician a gigantic orb of pure light energy, and Rainbow-Eyes a colossal beam of rainbow colored electricity. The two attacks collide and create a tremendous explosion that destroys both monsters at the same time with dazzling show of light and colors. Both princes are sent flying back by the shockwave, causing them to slam into the walls behind them (Each's LP: 0).

As the results of the explosion fade, so too does the field around them, reverting back to Kaiba Corp. Stadium. Both Yu-Gi-Oh and Seto are too dumbstruck to move or even say a word. The same goes for Brutus, Tori, and Celestia. Silence ensues.

After many moments of this, Yu-Gi-Oh and Seto both finally get up at the same time. They look to each other, unsure of what to say. After another moment, they both begin to speak at once. Once they hear the other is about to say something they stop to let other speak. Another moment of silence. They then both begin to offer to let the other speak first, but stop again when they both speak. Finally, Seto speaks up and asks, "What do we do now? That duel was our only hope at settling our dispute. It was supposed to tell us who was worthy to be emperor."

Then Celestia steps down into the arena. She says with a sudden insight, "Don't you two get it? It did tell us."

Yu-Gi-Oh responds, "I am sorry Celestia, but that match told us nothing. It was yet another tie."

She shakes her head. "You don't get it. That's the point. From day one that's been the point. You two have always tied. You've always been evenly matched. Neither one of you could ever get the upper hand over the other. It was always said that the Yugohan Lords would make the right choice on your birthday. Everyone was confused because they seemingly didn't, but the answer has been staring us in the face the entire time. Quantus and Chronos did make the right choice that faithful day. Both of you are worthy to be emperor, therefore you should both be the next Yugohan Emperor."

Seto and Yu-Gi-Oh look to each other with both surprise and sudden comprehension. They slowly say, "Both…be emperor…" They look to Celestia, back to each other, then to Celestia again.

Yu-Gi-Oh quickly says, "Never before have there been two emperors at once."

Seto adds, "It would never work, there's no precedent."

Celestia nods. "And never before in the history of Yugoha have the gods decided that both candidates were equally worthy. We're in a new age. Yugoha is being born anew. Now's a better time than any for this to occur. Make the precedent."

The two princes look to each other once more. After a moment of silence, Seto asks, "Would you really be willing to have your brother as a co-emperor?"

Yu-Gi-Oh replies, "Only if you'd be willing to have yours."

Another moment of silence. Then they nod at each other and look back to Celestia. They say at once, "We'll do it."

Celestia grins. "Then the time has come. It's time to return to Yugoha."

* * *

**Yugoha City, Planet Yugoha**

Cosmo's starship, the _Yugoha's Legacy, _lands in the center Yugoha City, right in front of the castle. It may not be the same picturesque city and castle it was before the fall of Yugoha, but it has been mostly restored in the recent months. A massive crowd of people have gathered and swarm around the ship once it lands. It is incredibly noisy from the cheers and shouts of the people and confetti and other signs of celebration can be seen everywhere. The loading ramp slowly lowers. Out of the ship, Celestia, followed by Brutus and Tori come down the ramp. The cheering gets even louder.

Celestia, with her voice amplified through unknown means, announces, "Citizens of Yugoha, for the first time in 20,000 years, I am proud to present you, Yu-Gi-Oh and Seto, Emperors of Yugoha!" The crowd goes absolutely insane.

At this cue, the twin brothers, no longer princes, but emperors, walk down the ramp. They wave to their people. They stop once they get to the bottom of the ramp. After a few moments of letting everyone see them, Yu-Gi-Oh, his voice also amplified, announces, "People of Yugoha, it pleases me to announce that Ottiuk, the Spirit of Darkness has been completely destroyed!"

Seto adds, "And the Tyrian Empire, the ones who fool themselves by calling themselves the New Yugohan Empire, has been nearly completely repelled from our borders!"

Yu-Gi-Oh continues, "And Yugoha has risen from the ashes of civil war and hostile invasion!"

Seto concludes, "For the first time in over 20,000 years, the galaxy is finally at peace!" The cheering and celebration grows louder than ever.

Both Yu-Gi-Oh and Seto then announce, "As your co-emperors, we promise to you, we will never fail you again!"

Seto adds, "You will be protected!"

Yu-Gi-Oh adds, "And the future is bright!" They begin to walk towards the castle. The crowd parts to allow them room to walk. Celestia, Brutus, and Tori follow.

Before they enter the castle, Seto suddenly stops. He announces, "Before we leave, I have one last piece of business to attend to." He turns to face Celestia. "Celestia, my love, my princess of the cosmos. I know how much hurt I inflicted during the Civil War, and I know that no amount of apologies will ever make what happened right. And I also know that you have spent the last 20,000 years waiting for me. I took the short route through time, while you took the long, so to speak. For that I can never thank you enough." He gets down on one knee and pulls out a brilliant ring. Celestia gasps. "Celestia, will you be my empress, and marry me?"

Celestia is so happy she chokes up and can't speak. A tear of joy falls from one her eyes. She finally says, "Yes! Of course I'll marry you!" He puts the ring on her finger and the two embrace each other.

The entire crowd lets out a collective "Aww…" at the spectacle.

Yu-Gi-Oh smiles at his brother while Brutus and Tori clap. Yu-Gi-Oh says, "All is right in the galaxy."

* * *

**Domino Square, Six Months Later**

A large stage has been set up in the center of Domino Square and a giant crowd has gathered. In front of the crowd are Brutus, Tori, Kodane, Yuni's grandpa, Trope, Lux, Nox, and Matt. Matt is now wearing new clothes, these ones similar to his old, but now white on one side of him, black on the other. Lux and Nox stand as bodyguards on either side of him. Other familiar faces in the audience include the Minister of Dueling, Sly, Mite, William, Mach, Goto, Sasuke, Katsu Tatsu, Professor Jones, Chance Gambit, and Jean Foucault. Perhaps somewhat more surprising to see is the group of apparently reformed Disciples of Darkness, including the ones once known as Cinder, Frostbite, Swarm, Phantasm, Tyrant, Enigma, Savage, Plague, Demon, Doom, and Scourge.

Everyone goes silent, as onto to stage steps the emperors Yu-Gi-Oh and Seto. They walk up to a podium with microphones. Celestia also steps up and stands behind Seto. Yu-Gi-Oh begins, "People of Earth, since the time of the Atlanteans, 15,000 years ago, and the rise of civilization, you have believed yourselves to be alone in this universe."

Seto picks up, "It was thought that intelligent life was so rare, there was no way it existed elsewhere. And if it did, why had it not yet made contact?"

They continue to take turns speaking. "The answer is, it was our fault. Had the Yugohan Empire survived, you would had known several millennia ago that you were not alone. Once you reached the ability to travel to space, we would have revealed ourselves to you."

"We would have invited you to join a vast empire spanning the stars. But we didn't because we were weak. We allowed our empire to fall."

"And in doing so we allowed the Tyrian Empire, or New Yugoha as you might know them, to become the main power in this galaxy. Their cruel regime wasn't interested in making peaceful contact with you, instead they manipulated you, allowing you to think you were alone."

"And just as you gave up hope that others were out there, they attacked you with intent to conquer. There is no way we can apologize enough that our failures have so thoroughly changed your history. But on this day we begin our attempts to make it up to you."

"This day. For on this day, exactly 5,002 years ago, the entire course of your history was changed when two duelists known as Yugi Muto and Seto Kaiba dueled for the first time."

"What your historians have also noticed, but played off as coincidence, is that also on this day, 10,002 years ago, the nameless Pharaoh, famous for his Shadow Games, disappeared from Ancient Egypt. On this day 15,002 years ago, the first battle in what would become the War of Atlantis, which eventually culminated in its destruction, occurred."

"We tell you now that this is no mere coincidence. This day is the most important day in the history of the galaxy, for it is on this day, 20,002 years ago exactly that Yugoha fell, and the fate of the galaxy for the next 20,000 years was set."

"For one final time, this day will go down in history. On this day, the Yugohan Empire formally invites Earth to join it, and to take its rightful place among the stars. Humanity has always dreamed of life among the stars, we know that from first-hand experience, and now is your time. We bring to Earth another hope!"

Yu-Gi-Oh looks across the audience. He looks to those who he called friends and family in another life, he looks to former adversaries, comrades, and enemies. He then declares, "This is the end of an adventure for us all, but as a wise man once said, sometimes the end of one adventure is just the beginning of another!" The crowd applauds and cheers for the speech.

Watching Yu-Gi-Oh give the speech are three additional spectators. The spirits of Yuni's parents and Apep watch over him still. They all smile proudly. Then the scene begins to zoom out, first showing Domino City from the sky, where fireworks can be seen going off. Then the Earth can be seen, then the Solar System, then the Sun in a group with others stars, and finally the entire galaxy.

**The End**

* * *

**I can't begin to express the emotions going through me right now. I've been writing this story for just over four years now, and it's been the one major constant in my life. I can hardly believe that it's all over now. I'd like to extend thanks to all of you who read the story. Reading your reviews and PMs, and seeing that people actually enjoy my writing has been so fulfilling. Thank you so much. **

**Duel on!**


End file.
